Murdering Soulfinder
by xxx-benedictbrothersfan-xxx
Summary: Zhalia Benedict: the last and youngest sibling to find her other half. How can they be together if someone special is trying to kill her? Someone who might just happen be HIM. Is she dead before a relationship can bloom or is she in a bloody mess soon to be buried and forgotten?
1. prologue

**Author's Note: Hey, this is my first story so please be nice! **

**This story is about the Benedict boys only sister (my own character). Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Prologue<span>

Brum... Brum... Brum... "Why do we have to keep doing this?" I questioned my father, slightly annoyed as I drummed my fingers on the table. This 'operation' will get us into a bigger hole than we already are. And second, what we do is just not right. Doesn't he realized that? Is revenge and illegal things all my dad thinks about?

"Why?!" he repeated angrily as he banged his clenched fist on the table. "Because we're Savants, that's why! And some Savants like to look down at others like us with disappointment!"

I just stared at him coldly, trying to control my sizzling power. Ignoring my cold look, he carried on. "Now, I have a special case for you as your powers are most useful here and you have enough skills and practice to properly start getting involved in the family business." He slid a file across the table so it was directly in front of me. I started flicking through the document to find papers and images of a particular family. "This is the youngest child," Dad said, pointing to a picture of a girl my age, "who hasn't found her soulfinder yet so she will be an easier target than the rest of the family; they will pay for putting your Uncle Phil in jail." I can't believe we're doing this just because Uncle Phil is in jail. He bloody deserved it for what he did, he had it coming!

He laughed evilly but stopped as soon as the words slipped out of my mouth "I won't do it."

"What did you just say?" he hissed.

"I won't do it! Others look down at us with disappointment because we're not doing the right thing! It's people like _you_ that give us a bad name! Maybe Mum was right to leave with the twins from this madness and crime even if part of the reason was to be with her soulfinder; they're probably having a good life away from all this! I wish I listened to Mum and went damn with them!" I shouted. Seconds after the words came tumbling out, I found myself slammed against the wall and not being able to access my powers- which I knew the reason as to why.

"Do you know why she didn't take you with her, huh?" Dad breathed on my face. "She left you because she didn't love you as you were following in my footsteps. That bitch you called Mum wasn't worth it anyway; she knew that if she told anyone about us she would have to kiss life goodbye along with the rest of her new family.

"The twins were annoying anyway as your mother rubbed 'good' things onto them. I would have found your mother easily if she ever gave away information about us! You will never leave crime because 1) you are exactly like me. We both live for crime and revenge." I will never be exactly like him, I thought. He spoke on, "And 2) if you leave and go live on the streets, you will still have to steal and kill just to get by! But sadly, you won't get a chance as I would have killed you by then as I know that you might tell on our little community." He paused, staring into my eyes threateningly before continuing "Are you going to stay?"

I stared intensely at him, debating about the situation and and the outcomes- I knew what he was capable of. I'm surprised he hasn't got caught yet. "No!" I spat in his face and jerked my knee up which came into contact with his lower region. He groaned as he loosened his grip on me. I quickly escaped from his grasp and twisted Dad's arms so he was in an arm lock before crashing him against the wall, with his back and arms to me. "I will NOT become YOU!" I seethed in his ear, putting emphasis on those certain words.

"Tut tut, Jace: that's not how you treat your father. I know all your moves... remember who taught you?" he tutted. He jerked his head back so it collided with my face. I instantly let go, stumbling backwards as I clutched my bleeding nose. Dad launched himself at me causing us to tumble to the floor, rolling around as we threw punches at each other. The grunts and the crashes attracted two of my cousins into the room. They managed to pull us apart, with both of us struggling to get free so we could rip the other's throat out. I glared at him, taking in the damage I had done to him. I managed to bust his lip, bruise his right eye, and cause a few scratches. I on the other hand, had both my eyes bruised and a bleeding nose.

"You know the consequences," he said breathlessly as we were both released from my cousins' hold. I nodded before looking at the floor with scattered paper which fell from the table. "Now that you've seen reason, let's get down to business..."

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><p><strong>AN: Please read, review, favourite and follow!<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

**Authors note: Here's a new chapter! I will try and update frequently but I won't update the next chapter until I get at least 5 reviews and a couple of favs and follows! (It's the only way to know if the story is good or not!) This chapter is dedicated to Elizabeth-Jasper, dropsofjupiter1999 and for the first to favourite and review.**

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

Zhalia's POV

As I made my way through the corridors towards home-room, Cleo Mortimer, one of my best friends, came bouncing towards me saying "oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! There's a new guy in school called Jace Donnelly and he is spicy hot! I'm guessing he's a total bad ass as well as he came in with a motorbike and he's already hanging out with your brother!"

"Calm down! Don't forget to breath! Hanging out with Zed is never a good sign; it just means more trouble! And besides, this Jace guy is probably not that good looking as your standards of good looking is quite low." I smiled so she knew not to take the last comment too seriously.

She frowned before replying "I do have 'good looking' standards!"

"You think all seven of my brothers are gorgeous, who, by the way, are all ugly!" I pointed out.

"Everyone who has seen this guy thinks he has the same off-the-scale hotness level as your brothers. And, you are the only one who thinks your brothers aren't good looking! "

"Because it's wrong to think they're hot, they're my brothers: incest!" I shuddered.

Suddenly, Elana Gosden (my other best friend) came out of nowhere. "Have you seen the new guy, Jace Donnelly, yet?"

"Oh man, not you too!" I wined as we entered home-room. Who is this guy? I thought.

"He's, like, totally gorgeous!" Elana squealed. Cleo squealed back in agreement. You wouldn't think that these girls would have boyfriends, but guess what? They do!

Turns out, all of the girls in my class were either talking about this new guy joining the school or my brothers. Apparently, Jace moved in with his Dad and some other family members into the house that's on the edge of Wrickenridge. No one really wanted to buy that house previously despite the fact that it was big. They didn't want it because the house was all alone- no one lived near it. I guess the new family wanted space from all the people in this town, even though it's tiny. If they wanted to be alone then why don't people leave the new guy alone! I don't know why I was getting so worked up about this guy! I haven't even met him and my blood already starts to boil at the thought of him. It's pissing me off the way that everyone is talking about him and my brothers as if they're gods! My brothers weren't anything special! This guy probably isn't worth it! I have a soulfinder out there to gush about, not some random school_ boy _that everyone is going to forget about when we leave here! Even though I don't want to be tied to my soulfinder just yet as I need a break from all the Benedict drama, that's most likely going to come if I meet him, but I still want to settle down with him in the future. Sighing, I took a seat next to Cleo and Elana and waited for the day to finish.

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><p><strong>AN: Review, favourite and follow please!<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**Author Note: Sorry about the fact that the last two chapters were kind of short! Hopefully some chapters will be longer as I go along. Btw, just because some of the characters are American doesn't mean I'm going to be writing with American spelling e.g. mom instead of mum.**

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

Zhalia's POV

Today was a drag. I briefly spoke to Sky telepathically during our Physics class as we both weren't that interested in 'The Collision Theory'. She even mentioned the new guy, Jace, in the conversation; I hadn't had any lessons with him the whole day so I still haven't even seen this guy, not even around school! I was curious to know why he joined now when we only have three months left of our senior year. Also, we have the rest of this week (Tue - Fri) before the April holidays! **(AN: This when England schools have a holiday, I don't know about anywhere else)**

Luckily, on the way home, Cleo and Elana didn't blab on about the new guy: the thought of him still angered me and I don't know why! We started to talk about our new dance routine that we have to do at our hip hop/street dance club. Dancing is my life! It's the only way I can let go of my emotions and just relax. Mum got me to sing so I could sing with her sometimes (Mum is really good at singing) but I don't enjoy it as much as I do dancing! Sad thing is is that I can't enter in competitions any more as Savants aren't meant to become famous.

As I got to my house, I saw Zed's motorbike outside the house already. I groaned; I hoped he would have gone round his friends or Sky's house. All seven of my brothers' soulfinders are the best sisters I could have asked for (Cleo and Elana count to) but my brothers are absolute dickheads! Luckily, not all seven live at the house anymore despite the fact that they all have their own rooms. Zed and Yves are the only ones still here. Phee (Phoenix) is also staying as she's married to Yves. The married couple are happily attending the college in Wrickenridge **(AN: I don't know if there actually is one but you guys can imagine, can't you?!) **The rest of my brothers are all in Denver with their soulfinders other than Xav and Crystal who live in New York.

Entering the house, I called "I'm home!"

I could hear someone giggling in the kitchen so I headed to it to find Sky laughing softly. I turned to see Mum swatting Zed away from the hot pot as he tried to pick out of it.

"Hello, love. How'd school go?" Mum smiled at me before scowling again at Zed as he tried to pick out of the pot again whilst Mum was distracted by me.

"It was okay, just like any other school day," I replied. Yeah, like an apparent hot new guy joining our school making it near the top of the school gossip board, happens like every school day, I thought sarcastically to myself.

Grinning like a child he once and still is, Zed made his way to Sky, who was still laughing slightly. He budged her out of her seat and sat down on it. Sky put her hands on her hips and frowned at him; they were obviously having a telepathic conversation about something.

Suddenly Zed roared with laughter. "Man, I love it when go all British on me!" he managed to say whilst pulling her to his lap and kissing her squarely on the lips. I looked away feeling awkward looking at my brother kissing. I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of my brothers even though it's slightly my fault that I'm pushing Crystal, Xavier's soulfinder, away for helping me find my other half.

"No passionate love making sessions whilst I'm cooking, please!" Mum said with a mock stern tone as she carried on cooking.

"Mum, you and Dad always, and I mean always, have a passionate moment whilst you're cooking for the last 30 odd years of you two being together so don't have a go at me!" smirked Zed.

"Hate to say it but Zed's right, Mum! People at your age shouldn't be doing that at all, especially when your very own children or other people are around! It's kind of disturbing!" I shuddered.

"Don't listen to them, Karla. It's not disgusting at all!" piped in Sky. "It's so cute!"

But before Mum could reply, Yves burst into the house with Phee trailing behind who was sighing but had a smile.

"I'm hungry!" Yves complained.

"You boys and your food!" Mum said shaking her head, disapprovingly.

"What?! Are you going to starve us growing men, huh Mum?" whined Yves. Men? More like five year olds stuck in men's bodies! "You wouldn't dare leave us starving. You love us too much to see us die from hunger!" Yves carried on.

"You boys don't need any more food, you've grown enough! You make me the odd one out; I hate how you take after your father in the height department!" Mum sighed. "Oh! Before I forget, I just wanted to say that the rest of your brothers are coming on Friday and Saturday because of the holidays."

I groaned at the idea of my brothers all coming together; they always found ways to annoy me. Like the time when I asked Xav to come quickly look at something in my room. The second he came in, he left again to go back to his bed. He said that I said he only had to come and quickly look at something, not that he had to stay and do something about it. Another time when my brothers annoyed me was when it was mine and Zed's birthday and all my brothers got me ferrero rochers. They claimed that they had 'forgot' that I had nut allergies. Therefore, meaning that they shared seven trays amongst themselves, Zed getting more chocolate. Mum forced my brothers to give me some money so I wasn't left completely present-less from them. Even then they only gave me around $5 each.. They were like untameable wolves that acted as pack. They stuck up for each other against me even if I was right and they were in the wrong! I hated them with my guts. You're probably thinking that 'hate' is a very strong word, but that strong word is the most accurate way of describing my severe dislike towards my stuck up brothers! Them coming altogether was NOT a pleasant thought...

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><p><strong>Author Note: Please fav, follow and review! Target favs: 4, follow: 4, reviews: 9. If the fav, follows and reviews don't reach their target, then I won't update (blackmail, I know!)<strong>


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Sorry for not uploading in a long time as I had assessments and stuff. However, I also didn't upload because of the reviews; slightly disappointing as the target of 9 wasn't achieved :'-( but I guess as the favs and follows have exceeded their targets, it makes up for the reviews! But please, please, please (please) review AS WELL AS the other two as it helps. This story is dedicated to cellfone1027 and FindingSkyTrilogy for all the nagging and fussing of this chapter; enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter 3<span>

Zhalia's POV

"Come on. We're going be late for school if you keep reapplying your make up, Elana!" I complained. Me and Cleo had to wait inside Elana's house for the last 30 minutes as she kept messing up her makeup.

"Stop worrying your asses off, sheesh! We won't be late! I'll just teleport us to the bathroom and then we can sneak into home-room, problem solved!" she replied. Elana and Cleo were both savants too and have both found their soulfinders; Elana can make herself, things and other people teleport somewhere else. She had found her soulfinder, Parker Green, when she went on holiday with her family last year to Portugal. Parker's family wanted to move from Portugal and decided to live in Colorado so the couple could be together. Cleo is able to know anyone's desires anything that someone wants deeply. The desires could be from cravings of food to something 'sexual', it just had to something that they want really bad for her to pick up. She found her soulfinder, Jeff Hunter, in Canada after her cousin found his soulfinder, who is a soulseeker. Luckily, Elana and Cleo didn't ditch me and go all lovey dovey around me (that much) as I still haven't found mine yet despite Crystal being a soulseeker.

My power allows me, something or someone else to be able to phase (go through) other solid objects. I love my power sometimes but other times, it can be really hard. The Benedict family attracts trouble so every time we get shot at, it kind of became my job that the bullets don't actually hit us! Using my powers on lots of people for a long period of time can really give me a headache, a nose bleed or on worse cases: pass out!

"Oh. My. God. Elana, hurry up or we'll go without you!" complained Cleo.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" replied Elana. "I hope everyone is in home-room and not in the bathroom when we teleport in or we're done for!" After getting our stuff, Elana transported us to school and we quickly rushed into home-room just in time.

Me, Elana and Cleo were walking out of our third lesson to go to the place where we, Jeff, Parker and sometimes other friends eat our lunch on the school field when Cleo suddenly stopped in the middle of the corridor which flowed with swarms of people.

"What?" I asked.

"It's Jace!" she whispered as she pointed to a guy, who was putting something into his locker next to Zed and his friends. "If I hadn't met Jeff, then I would totally hook up with this guy!"

I rolled my eyes. Looking at Jace, I took him in. His eyes were piercing blue like the colour of the shinning sea under the bright sun; his hair was a dark shade of dirty blonde that covered his forehead and flicked out a bit on the sides of his head against his slightly tanned skin. He was tall- obviously over 6ft- but not as tall as Zed. His body was lean with obvious muscles which weren't way too bulky but enough to make a girl melt!

"So... What do you think of him?!" Elana asked me with a smirk as she started to nudge me.

"Well, I guess he's kinda good looking!" I said awkwardly.

"Kinda?!" They both shrieked which caused a few people to stare in our direction.

"What?" I said sheepishly causing them to both stared at me with the 'what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-you' kind of look. "Okay, okay! He is actually quite hot! But he's got an annoying face that makes me want to punch it in!" I pointed out. They looked at me with their mouths hanging open.

"How could you say that?! He's got a face of an angel!" Elana squealed.

"A wayyy too innocent face. I just want to wipe that innocence away, it's annoying!" I still had that urge that I felt before seeing him: to strangle him until his life ended, despite him being hot. "And besides I thought you guys were only meant to have the hots for your soulfinders?"

"Just because we have found our other halves and they're the one and all that shit doesn't mean we can find other guys good looking! I mean have you seen Robbie Kay?" Cleo squealed, clapping her hands like a maniac.

"Who?" Elana and I questioned. Cleo probably has the most celebrity crushes out of us three. Wait, scrub that; she probably has the most celebrity crushes in the world!

"How could you not know who he is?!" Cleo freaked. "He plays Peter Pan in 'Once Upon A Time'!"

"Well, not everyone watches 'Once Upon A Time' so we don't know who the hell you're on about!" exclaimed Elana. "And what will Jeff think about you having a crush on him!"

"I would be very pissed off if Cleo had a crush on someone else other than me!" a deep voice came from behind us. We turned around to see Jeff and Parker walking towards us. They walked towards their girls and simply looped their arms around them as they knew not to kiss around me- the girls must have told them not to.

"So, who is this guy you have a crush on then, huh Cleo?" Jeff asked with a frown as we headed off to the field.

"Umm... No-one!" Cleo said smiling cheekily.

"Tell me!" Jeff growled and tickled Cleo, who started to have a laughing fit. Tickling her was one of the many ways in which you can make Cleo talk.

"Eeekk, I'll tell you if please stop!" squeaked Cleo, still laughing.

"As you asked so nicely, ok!" Jeff replied as he stopped tickling her but still had his arm around her.

"All you need to know is that every girl always needs a celebrity crush even if they have a boyfriend!" she smirked.

"I thought the crush would have been me!" he pouted which earnt him a playful poke in the stomach!

"You're not a celebrity!" stated Cleo. "And you have a big ego!"

"Yep, and I'm proud of the ego too as it did attract you!" Jeff replied, wriggling his eyebrows. "And by the way, it's not like I'm the only one who has a big ego; you have it too!"

"Wow, what was fate thinking to put two people with big ego's together?" I said, getting some laughs from Parker and Elana and 'humphs' from Cleo and Jeff.

"Well," Jeff started to say, "if you have a crush on whoever this celebrity is, I'm going tell you who my celebrity crush is. Man, she's so hot. What I would want to do-"

"What?! Who? Wait, don't tell me! Let me guess!" Cleo rambled. If Jeff had strong want for whoever it is, Cleo was sure to pick it up with her powers!

"What? Scarlett Johansson? How come I'm picking up a strong 'desire' for her from you?" Cleo was so jealous... and over reacting!

"Sorry babe, but she is sexy as fuck!" he grinned at her, purposely winding her up which she was falling for. "Don't worry though, Cleo: you'll always be the fourth one down on my list of the people I love! Nothing could change that!"

"Don't tell me she's the one at the top! She's got nothing on her!" she scoffed. Then, something else that he said sunk into her brain. "Fourth?! Who the heck is before me?!"

"My parents! My mother did carry me for nine months." Jeff grinned at her. We all smirked at Cleo, she's so easily wounded up.

"She'll also be carrying your dead body when I'm done with you!" she muttered. Jeff smirked, talking the last bit of her sentence the wrong way.

Jace's POV

After putting my books into my locker and shutting it, I saw a group of people walking down the corridor laughing through the corner of my eye. I laid my eyes on one person, a girl, in particular after scanning the group. I guessed she didn't have a boyfriend as she was the only one not holding anyone's hand. She had long, wavy deep chocolate hair which stopped just above her waist. Her eyes were an exotic bluey- greeny colour; she was around 5ft 9 give or take. Damn, she's hot! STOP! I shouldn't think that of _her_.

"Who are they?" I asked Zed as I nodded towards the group.

Looking towards the group I indicated, he said "The one with the blue bag and light brown hair is Cleo Mortimer who is holding hands with Jeff Hunter. The other couple is Elana Gosden and Parker Green. The girl by herself is my twin sister, Zhalia. I'm five minutes older than her, making her the youngest of the big family! We've got 6 older brothers; don't ask about what my parents were thinking! Why do you ask, anyway?"

"What do you think? I'm new and I want to know who everyone is!" I replied jokily, trying to cover up the real reason of why I'm asking.

"Fine whatever, dude! Just be careful around my sister; she gets annoyed when guys keep asking her out! She says she's looking for the right guy- the 'one'! She gets in a real hissy fit if you piss her off, trust me I know!"

"I will!" I muttered under my breath as I focused my eyes on her. Who said anything about me asking her out? I've got something much more different planned for her.

"Quick, I need to speak to my sister before they leave." Zed said as he made his way to the group. I shuffled after him, but not really wanting to speak to her. "Zhalia! Wait." Zed called out, making the group stop. Zhalia saw Zed and sighed with annoyance but when she looked at me, her eyes narrowed with an emotion I couldn't read.

"What do you want, Zed?" she huffed. I could feel her friends staring at me. I scowled at them before looking at the floor. Why couldn't have I just stayed with our other friends by the lockers instead of coming here?

"You know you're my favourite sister-" Zed started to say but was cut off by Zhalia.

"I'm your_ only_ sister!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Zed chuckled. "Do you have the family Jeep? Sean's motorbike is getting fixed so he's borrowing mine."

"Well, your only, favourite sister hasn't got it! Snag a ride with someone else! Your problem- not mine."

"What if he has to walk but he dies on the way, huh? Some sister you are!" I snapped at her. Why the hell did I just say that?! What the fuck was I doing? I could feel everyone, including Zed, staring at me shocked.

However soon after, a smirk started to form on Zed's face.

Soon the shock was replaced by anger that started to build up physically on Zhalia's face. "I don't care who you are but no one asked for your input in this conversation! If you're so worried about him, you take him home. Otherwise, butt out!" she growled at me. She turned to her friends, "come on, let's go." With that, she stormed off with her friends trailing behind, still shocked at my sudden outburst.

"Not that I can't fight my own battles with my sister or that you stuck up for me, which thanks by the way, but what just happened?" questioned Zed.

"I don't know," I sighed. "For some reason I just snapped." Taking my answer, Zed shrugged and made his way to lunch.

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><p><strong>Author's note: Please leave a review as it helps me write. If you haven't faved and followed, then please do!<strong>


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's note: Thanks for some of the reviews, some favs and follows I got! Please keep them coming so I know what you think of the story! If you don't review and stuff, I'll think the story is bad...! :-( Well any ways, here's the next chapter!**

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><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

Zhalia's POV

Finally, the last lesson of the day- maths! I don't mind maths; I don't hate it or love it. It's just that there is this one person who, despite the fact sits on the other side of the class, annoys the crap out of me: Zed!

But at least Sky is now here and in our maths class so he doesn't annoy me as much as he used to do as he concentrates more on Sky now. I wish I could have what they have, what all my brother's have; well, not the girls to be my soulfinder, because I'm not a lesbian (not that I have anything against them). I want to have the happiness that they have. In other words, I want to find my him- my soulfinder! Being the last one out of my family as well as my savant best friends for not finding their soulfinder really sucks- I feel left out. And the worst part is is that it hurts! To see them happy makes me jealous. What makes me pissed off even more is that sometimes they won't kiss and act like love birds around me, knowing how it would make me feel, but they (especially my brothers) have those faces that show that they really want to have a kiss! Argh! It really annoys me when they act so innocent around me. Will was the last brother to find his soulfinder. He found Esme in Amsterdam a month ago. I guess I wanted all my brothers to settle down properly before I let Crystal locate my soulfinder. But deep down, I knew the real reason was because I was scared. The Benedict soulfinder history was all over the place; there was always a problem when each of my brothers found their other half. I have that gut feeling that my soulfinder will bring trouble too; I just want to take a break before dealing with all of it again.

Ready to face the lesson, I entered the class with Cleo and Elana and made our way to our seats. I sat on the desk that was to the left of an empty desk at the right back corner of the room. Cleo sat on my left and Elana sat to the left of her. Once the three of us sat in our seats, our maths teacher, Mrs Harris, was about to start the class when the door opened again. Zed came striding into the room with someone striding in behind him too: Jace. I groaned. After the little encounter with him in the hallway, I wanted to stay clear of his path. Zed muttered something to the teacher who nodded before Zed went to go sit down behind Sky on the other side of the class.

"Right then! Everybody, this is Jace Donnelly who will be joining our maths class." Mrs Harris introduced to the class. Please, please, please don't sit in the spare seat next to me. Sit next to Zed. She turned to Jace and said "Jace, why don't you go sit in the corner in the empty desk next to Zhalia. We don't want Zed to be a distraction now, do we?" He nodded before heading towards the empty desk.

"I'm not a distraction!" shouted out Zed, mock angry.

"Yes you are, now shut up!" Sky demanded. Sniggers went through the class at Zed being told to shut up by his midget girlfriend.

"Whatever you say, bambi! Whatever you say." Zed ruffled her hair which she tried to swat away.

_OMG! Spicey-HOT-boy coming your way, Zhalia! _ Elana's voice popped in my head as Jace made his way towards the spare desk.

_Shut up! I hate this guy's guts, especially after what happened in the hallways! _ I shot back. He made my blood boil even more after that incident.

_Well, he does have an attitude problem. He could be your soulfinder you know; that body could be yours! It could be like how Sky made Zed less mean. _Cleo's voice joined the conversation.

_Shut Up! Go away, both of you! _ I groaned_. Leave me alone before you guys say something that will make me throw up in front of the whole class- and him! _ I telepathically told them just as Jace sat down in his seat.

_Kissy, Kissy Kissy! Mwahh! _ They started making kissing noises.

I growled mentally at them. _Carry on doing that and you both die!_ I threatened.

_Ok! _ They both chipped with smirks on their annoying little faces. They were obviously planning my future love life.

Mrs Harris started to explain trigonometry. After explaining how to work out the questions based on this specific subject, she gave us work sheets to complete. "If you need help, then ask your partner before asking me."

Great, I might say something stupid to the new kid and make a complete twat of myself! Keeping my head down, I got on with my work. Soon I got stuck but I didn't dare ask Jace in case he was smart and made me look like a complete idiot! Soon I felt eyes on me, making me feel uneasy.

"You stuck on the last question?" came a voice from my right. I looked up to see Jace staring at me; I can't believe he's talking to me! I must have been staring at him with a dumb look on my face, as he repeated with a frown "Are you stuck on the last question?"

Snapping back into reality, I nodded "Yeah, I guess I am!"

"That's the easiest one." I looked at him, questioning with my eyes if he was going to help me. He smirked "Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not going to help you! You need to learn by yourself."

I glared at him. Why you little, arrogant jackass! I asked him the question that was bugging me from the minute I heard he joined "Why did you join so late into our last year of high school?"

"What's it to you?" his voice came out harsh.

"Nothing, I just wanted to know! Sheesh, sorry for asking!" I replied, my voice slightly rising. What was his problem?

He sighed. "The name's Jace by the way."

"I know who you are! Mrs did introduce you to the class. Also, some people can't shut up about you!" I looked at Elana and Cleo when I said the last sentence, knowing they were eavesdropping on something that wasn't their own business! They shrugged innocently- way too innocently! Looking back at Jace, I said " And especially after what happened in the corridors. I'm Zhalia."

"I know who you are, Zed told me. I did nothing wrong. Your brother could be attacked!"

"It's none of your business anyway." I glared at him. "And of course that wasn't your fault! Nothing is your fault with your 'perfect' little face!" I muttered under my breath so he didn't hear me as I put my hand up for the teacher to come and help.

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><p>Entering the house, I dumped my bag in the corridor before going to the kitchen to find something to eat. I was half way through a banana when Mum burst in through the front door with bags of shopping in her hand. "Help me with the shopping Zhalia!" she said.<p>

As I helped her to put everything away, I asked "When are the Woods family moving here again?" The Woods are old savant family friends who have helped us through some cases for the Net.

"During the holidays, I can't remember the exact date! Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering!"

Half an hour later, Zed came home.

"Why are you so late home, young man?!" questioned Mum as she put her hands on her hips.

"I _walked," _ he narrowed his eyes at me which I just shrugged. "Sky home. Then Sally needed help moving canvases and other art stuff so I stayed to help." he replied. Wow, Sky had really rubbed off some kindness into him!

After putting away the shopping whilst Zed didn't move his lazy ass off of the chair, I got out a packet of chilli heatwave Doritos. I was about to open it but Zed quickly snatched it out of my hands. He opened it himself and started to eat from the packet.

"Hey! That was mine!" I growled, trying to get it back.

"No it's not; it's mine now!" Zed grinned wickedly. He ran around the kitchen with me hot on his tail, trying to get the crisps back. They were my favourite and the last packet; mum forgot to buy another big packet. He laughed as I chased him around the kitchen and dinning room.

Before I could use my powers, Mum burst into the kitchen. "What is going on in here? Why are you running around my kitchen?" shouted Mum, making us freeze in mid-run.

"He started it!" I stated pointing at him at the same time he said "She started it!" as he pointed at me. What do you expect? Just because we're 17 year old twins, doesn't mean we sill don't act like 9 year olds! Well, he still acts 9, he did start it.

I stared at him bewilderedly, "I started it? You were the one that stole my crisps!"

"You were the one that could have just let it go and just let me have the crisp!" he argued back.

"You were the one that knew they were my favourite and the last packet! You like Mccoy's, you could have had them!" I shot at him.

"You were the one-"

"Enough!" Mum interrupted. "Both of you are ones that aren't going to have the crisp packet because I'm going to have them!" she went over to Zed and took the packet out of his hands.

"What?! That is not fair!" me and Zed complained in union. I was about to say 'great minds think alike' but then I did a double take. One of us twins has not got a great mind! *Cough* Zed *cough*.

"Both of you shouldn't have been arguing then, should you?!" she said as she walked out the room. "And Zed? Don't take any more crisps from the packets!" she added before she went to go watch TV.

Zed stalked out the kitchen with a humph.

"Way to go Zed! Now both of us miss out on the crisps!" I said, following him out and upstairs.

"You're making it sound like it was my fault!" he replied.

"Well, it is your fault! Who else's would it be? Certainly not mine!" This has just turned again into another normal, everyday conversation with another nice brother of mine! I take back on what I said about Sky rubbing some goodness into Zed.

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><p><strong>AN: Leave a review, fav and follow<strong>!


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Hey, thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter. I just wanted to quickly recommend a story; if you're into fantasy and magical creatures (for example vampires and witches) and stuff then go check out 'Love and Blood' by a friend of mine called PhoenixBritt. She likes the Finding Sky series too!**

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><p><span>Chapter 5<span>

Zhalia's POV

After school today, me, Elana and Cleo went to our hip hop/street dance club. On our way there, we talked about all the savant cases our families were involved in and funny moments within cases! As we got to the studio where we dance, Cleo slowed down and stared in the direction of the studio car park. "Hey, Zhalia? Isn't that Zed's bike?" she said as she nodded towards a parked motorbike. I looked at it and then shook my head.

"No, it isn't. I guess it's someone else's. Maybe someone new to the club or something." I replied.

"Hang on! Isn't that Jace's bike?" Elana questioned. "Is he joining our class?"

"I'm not psychic; how am I supposed to know?" I said.

"Let's go find out!" Elana said eagerly as she dragged us towards the door.

Turns out Elana was right: it must have been Jace's bike because as soon as we walked into the studio room, we saw him leaning against one of the walls casually on his phone as if he had no other care for anything else in the world. As we walked in, he looked in our direction and frowned before looking back down at his phone.

"Right, my little students! Gather round." instructed our dance teacher, Molly. "As you can see, we have a new student joining our classes, Jace." she said as she looked at him. He just have gave a nod before looking down again but at the floor this time. "As we have just recently started a new dance routine we can easily change some bits slightly to fit him in." When we sorted out the dance routine to fit Jace in, we started practising whilst Jace learnt. Jace wasn't as bad as I expected him to be; he was actually quite good! He was a quick learner as well. Soon I could feel eyes on me, watching my every move, studying the way I move. The eyes felt like they were learning everything about me.

When the 10 minute break came along, me, Cleo and Elana went to where our bags were on the floor. "WOW! Man, can that guy move or what?!" exclaimed Elana.

"Why don't we go over and speak to him?" suggested Cleo.

"No flipping way are we going to go speak to him!" I groaned. "All you guys will do is try to embarrass me and hook me up with him! I am no way going over there. He's a rude, arrogant dick!"

"You're no fun, Zhalia." teased Cleo.

"We won't embarrass you in anyway." said Elana with a smirk.

"Ah, ah! No way; I know you guys way too well to know that you are." I said, backing away.

"Have you got a phobia of hot guys, Zhalia?" mocked Elana.

"No; I'm just afraid of you guys embarrassing me in front of hot guys!" I exclaimed. "Although, him being rude takes his hotness away."

"Well, now is the time to face your fears and learn from the mistakes you make!" said Cleo as she and Elana dragged me over to where he stood amongst some other boys.

Jace's POV

The way she danced was incredible; she moved easily around the room with energy and emotion. Her steps and movements were in time with the music; everything about her was flowing but striking. When the 10 minute break came along, I headed towards where the other guys stood and picked up my bag and got my water bottle out. Soon, Zhalia and her friends came towards me. I smirked when I saw that Cleo and Elana dragging Zhalia in my direction. When they came over, Zhalia stood behind the other two, trying to hide. But she failed as she was slightly taller than them.

"Hey, Jace." Elana said casually. "You're really good at dancing."

"Thanks! You guys aren't bad yourself!" I said as I looked at Zhalia. She looked embarrassed and awkward to be here; she looks cute when she is embarrassed. Wait, what? Jace get a hold of yourself, you can't think about her like that! I thought; I mentally kicked myself as I remembered what I have to do- my duties. Plus I hated her guts.

"Thanks! But Zhalia's better than me and Elana!" Cleo said. Zhalia opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Cleo "OMG! When Molly gets us to do pair work with the opposite gender, Jace and Zhalia should totally work together!"

Zhalia's POV

"OMG! When Molly gets us to do pair work with the opposite gender, Jace and Zhalia should totally work together!" Cleo said, stepping aside so I wasn't hiding behind her and Elana.

_What?!_ I mentally screamed at her.

"Mmmm... Maybe. Only if she can keep up with me!" he smiled at me whilst winking. I looked away blushing. Damn, why did he have to have a sexy smile. And why the hell do the two dimwits have to try and hook us up?

_Whoop! Whoop! He is sooo flirting with you, Zhalia!_ said Elana telepathically to me and Cleo.

Cleo mentally smiled in agreement.

_Now all we have to wait for is them to have mini Zhalia's and Jace's so we can be Godparents!_ said Cleo.

_Oh, shut up! What don't you understand of the fact that I hate him?_ I said.

_The part where you hate him... _Elana smirked.

Ignoring her, I focused back on Jace.

Elana said "Oh, she can keep up! Every partner she has ever danced with has been left trailing behind with a broken heart!" Did she seriously have to say that, especially the last bit? Man, why am I even friends with these two?

"Yeah, maybe. We'll have to see, don't we. I don't think I'm gonna be left behind; I'm too good looking!" smiled Jace again. I used up all myself control on trying not to slap him; he has a bigger ego than my brothers! And maybe including Cleo and Jeff too.

"Right, break over. Get back into positions people." said Molly loudly above the chattering students. Saved by the bell- or more the teacher.

Jace's POV

She's in my dance class as well? God, I had to deal with and keep an eye on her at school. Once my dad, John, finds out she's in my dance class as well, he'll be thrilled. I was going to dance to at least be free for a couple or hours from my 'duty' for our 'community'. Now I won't even have a break there.

When we finished the session, I went to get my bag and pulled out my phone. 1 unread message it said. I opened it to find a text from my dad:

**Jason will be waiting for you at home. He needs help with some details.**

**John**

Great! Jason was my cousin, also part of the 'community'. He absolutely loves being in the community- to be able to use his powers, creating illusions, to trick and mentally torture innocent people. Me and him do not get along. I decided to take the long way home, not wanting to see him anytime soon.

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><p><strong>Author's note: Please leave a review! ;-P<strong>


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's note: Thanks for some of the reviews for chapter 5; keep the reviews coming. I just wanted to say that when I read the last chapter after posting it, I realised that Jace, John and Jason all began with 'J'; that was unintentional if any of you were thinking that they had a thing going on in the family about naming their children with the letter 'J'. Some characters from the actual Finding Sky and Challenging Zed book are in this chapter.**

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><p><span>Chapter 6<span>

Zhalia's POV

"Mum!" Zed shouted as he jogged downstairs.

"I'm in the kitchen, you don't need to shout!" Mum called. Zed came into the kitchen to find me eating breakfast and Mum making some more food for the rest of the family in this house. "What do you want? If it's money, a new phone or new games for any of your game consoles, then it's a big no no. You've recently had a new phone, you have too many games and if you've spent all your money and you're broke, then tough cookies!" she told him.

"No, it's not any of that," he smirked, knowing that's what he normally would asks for. He continued to say what he wanted to say "Can Jace come round on Saturday for lunch? He's new to the area. He can meet the whole famous, Benedict clan as everyone's coming round this weekend." I dropped my spoon into my bowl when I heard Jace's name! I quickly went back to my food before anyone noticed me with my mouth wide open.

"Sure, it would be nice to welcome him into the area and to meet him." she replied, smiling as she carried on making breakfast.

"Great. I'm going to now." he said as headed out of the kitchen and into the passage to put on his shoes and get the motorbike helmets. Eager to get to school, is he? I thought.

"Wait, you haven't had breakfast yet!" Mum said as she quickly headed out of the kitchen, obviously worrying about her youngest son's health about skipping one meal.

"I'm going to go pick up Sky, I'll grab something at her house!" Ahh, it was Sky he was eager to get to.

"But-" before Mum could finish, Zed was already out the door and revving up his motorbike. She sighed and came back to the kitchen. Finishing my food, I got up and went to the sink to clean my dishes. Suddenly, there was a bang on the door.

"I'll get it." I said as I went to the door, knowing that it will be Elana. Opening the door, I found her standing opposite me on the front decking, with her school bag.

"Ready to get Cleo?" she questioned as she came in, closing the door behind her.

Nodding, I shouted to my Mum as I picked up my bag and put on my shoes "I'm going!".

"You don't need to shout!" I heard my Mum's voice from the kitchen, I smirked. Elana put her hand on my arm and we teleported to Cleo's house to pick her up.

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><p>Lunch came round the corner when the first three lessons came and went. Me, Cleo and Elana went to the field to eat as it was a sunny day today. Some people were doing things other than just eating to let the lunch time hour go past, for example playing football <strong>(AN: or soccer if you're American. I'm just going to use American words if I can remember them but English spelling)<strong>. We found Parker and Jeff at our usual spot and we sat down next to them.

"Oh look Zhalia; guess who's playing soccer!" Cleo said wiggling her eyebrows.

Looking over at the group of boys playing soccer, I noticed Jace bending the ball like Beckham into the net. I also noticed Sheena giving flirty looks at Jace and Zed when they looked in her direction.

"Zed?" I replied teasingly, knowing she was talking about Jace. She gave me one of those 'seriously!' kinda-looks.

"Who's playing with your brother?" she asked, trying to get me to say his name.

"Sean?" I smiled, knowing it will piss her off.

"Jace!"she sighed, shaking her head.

"He's good." commented Parker on Jace's soccer skills.

"More reason for Zhalia to like him then!" smirked Elana, putting on her sunglasses.

"Oh, all of you get a life." I groaned. "Us two will never happen. If he's hanging around Zed, that means he probably is like Zed- which he is, rude and big headed. Me and Zed do not get along!"

"I've already got a life, thank you. And I like it just the way it is!" Elana said as she cuddled up in Parker's arms, smiling. I looked away with a tang of jealousy of what they had.

Noticing that I was a bit uncomfortable with Elana and Parker cuddling, Cleo, trying to distract me but still teasingly said "He could be your soulfinder, you know? All we have to do is get you to go round each other's houses and to get to know each other and then BANG! You'll be love birds before you know it!"

"Zed already invited him round this Saturday for lunch when the rest of my brothers are coming round." I muttered.

"What?!" Cleo and Elana exclaimed.

Realising the effects of what I had just said, I tried to dig my way out of it "but I won't be talking to him, let alone be alone with him, obviously!"

"Yeah right!" snorted Cleo.

Getting irritated, I said "Can we just leave this subject about Jace now, please?"

"Ok. For now anyway." replied Elana, smiling. I sighed helplessly.

Jace's POV

As I headed towards my motorbike, I pulled out my phone and called my Dad. He picked up after the fourth ring.

"John speaking." came my Dad's voice from the other end of the line.

"Hey, Dad! It's me, Jace. I'm heading home now as school's finished. I just wanted to let you know that Zed Benedict, the seventh child, invited me round theirs on Saturday for lunch. He said all his brothers and sister will be home. I'm guessing the brother's soulfinders will be there as well." I replied.

"Good. Everything is going as planned. You know what to do on Saturday- get to know them and see how they work. Nothing else just yet. I'll be home late tonight. Jason will be home by 5 if he doesn't do anything stupid, hopefully. Scott will be back by 5:30. Others will be already home or come later. Just ring if anything bad pops up. You'll be fine, yes? You won't do anything stupid and worth punishing, will you?" Scott was Jason's older brother. Jason is my age, just couple of months older and Scott is two years older than Jason. Their Dad, my uncle Phil, is in prison for God knows what. My cousins and my Dad might have told why he's on there but I've forgotten, too much stuff in my brain to remember if they ever told me. Scott was way more sensible than Jason by a long shot.

"I'll be fine, dad. And no, I won't do something stupid! See you later." I replied before hanging up.

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><p><strong>Author's note: If you haven't you faved and followed yet, then please do! And leave a review (maybe reach 30 reviews or more, please! Reviews really help, especially with this iffy chapter!)<strong>


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's note: Thanks for reviewing and hitting 30 reviews! Just gonna repeat some answers from the questions in the reviews in case you were wondering: you'll find out Jace's powers very soon... and no I haven't watched Thunderbirds at all so I didn't know I made a reference to it by the names! Cute (as well as awkward) scenes between Jace and Zhalia will come soon fairly quickly! ;-p If you have any more questions, then please do ask!**

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><p><span>Chapter 7<span>

Zhalia's POV

Saturday came way too quick for my liking! Only Uri, Will and their soulfinders came this morning despite the fact that they only live a couple of hours drive away compared to my other brothers. It gets a little too crowded when everyone's around. Bed arrangements were a nightmare. The married couples were allowed to sleep together, alone, in my brother's rooms. The non-married couples had to sleep separately, meaning that the boys slept in their own room whilst the rest of the girls have to bunk in my room with me. Xav was still sleeping from Friday as he was still 'battling jet lag', as he likes to phrase it; we all know the real reason was not because of jet lag due to coming back to Colorado from New York with Crystal; it was because he had a lazy ass and couldn't be asked to get his butt moving! Another reason is probably because he had done something during the night, which involves Crystal that also kept him awake during the night.

In the morning, me and the rest of the girls helped Mum make breakfast; the boys, well, let's just say that they couldn't be asked! Uriel found his soulfinder, Ida, in South Africa. She has the power to shape shift. Vick found Cora, in Afghanistan. She has the power to control gravity which she uses to piss off Vick. Will's soulfinder, Esme, was from Amsterdam. She has the power to make multiple copies of herself. When breakfast was ready, my brothers and Dad came into the dinning room that was attached to the kitchen.

"Zhalia, get out of my seat!" said Vick as he tipped me out of the seat.

"Hey! Who said this was your seat?" I said.

"I always sit on this seat and you know it!" he shot back.

"You don't always sit on this chair! You're not even here half the time! So when you were gone, I took over this seat, so pi-" I quickly stopped myself from carrying on the word and looked at my Mum to see if she had noticed. She frowned disapprovingly but didn't say anything. Quickly, I carried on as if nothing had happened whilst I caused Vick to phase right through the chair, making him land on the floor with a 'thump', "So go away and find another seat."

"Zhalia!" Mum said sternly.

"What?! I sit on this chair more than he does, so technically it's become my chair!" I said innocently.

"It's a god damn chair, Zhalia! Vick doesn't live under this roof any more so let him sit in the chair at least once whilst he is here!" she sighed. "Why you children just don't get along is a mystery to me!". Vick smirked as I huffed my way to one out of the two empty chairs.

"Yeah, Zhalia! It's a god damn chair!" Xav mimicked Mum which earned him a punch in the ribs from Crystal and a glare from Dad. Stupid brothers- who needs them!

Jace's POV

I went to my Dad's office quickly before I left to go to Zed's house.

"Come in." my father said after I knocked on the door. I entered to find him sat behind a table piled high with paper work.

"I'm going now to the Benedict's house." I informed my dad.

"Ok, Scott will be near but not too near for the Benedicts to detect." he said. I nodded before turning to leave. "And Jace," I stopped in my tracks. "You know the consequences, don't you- if you don't complete the whole task?" I gulped and nodded. "Good."

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><p>I pulled up in front of their house. I noticed that there were loads of cars and motorbikes parked outside the house; consequences of being in a big family, I thought- insurance and petrol! I knocked on the front door. A few seconds later Zed came and opened it.<p>

"Hey man, you made it! Ready to meet the crazy family?" he asked as he let me in.

"My family is probably crazier than yours!" I replied as I put my motorbike helmet on the side where other motorbike helmets were.

"Don't think so! It can get pretty hectic with the whole family here! Food's ready in 15, by the way, so I'll introduce you to the family in the mean time." He lead me into the front room where most of his family was. One by one, Zed introduced all of his brothers in order (Trace, Uriel, Victor, Will, Xav and Yves) along with their wives or girlfriends and their dad. He also properly introduced Zhalia. She glanced at me before looking away with a frown. His Mum also quickly popped in to introduce herself as well. Soon after the introductions, the food was ready. Zed sat to my right and guess who sat on my left? Zhalia! Yay- note the sarcasm! She kept giving glares to, I think Victor as if he did something that she didn't like. He grinned back at her which seemed to make her more irritated.

"So Jace, how do you like Colorado so far? Where did you live before moving here?" asked their mother, Karla.

"Um, Colorado is amazing actually. The mountains are quite cool! We lived in Boston for a bit before moving here. My dad didn't like it there." I replied.

"How long in Boston did you stay for?" asked Saul.

"Two months." I smiled.

"Wow!" said Will.

"Do you guys remember when we went a couple of years ago to Boston and Zhalia got chased by a five year old because she wouldn't go out with him and then he pushed her into the hotel swimming pool with her normal clothes on! Man, the face she made was priceless!" Xav said laughing with the rest of his brothers.

"Do you remember when Mum and Dad dragged us to the park for 'family time' and a bird pooped all over Zhalia! She ran around the park, shrieking! I think I still have the video I took on my phone somewhere!" piped in Trace.

I looked at Zhalia who looked as pissed as ever! "Boys,-" Saul said sternly but was interrupted by Will.

"Or the time when it was Halloween when Zed and her were 10. We scared her so badly that she pha-" he suddenly stopped and looked at me. "Freaked!" he corrected.

"Um, guys?" Sky said but was ignored by the brothers who kept laughing as they conjured up all the embarrassing stories they could think of about Zhalia.

"That is it! I have had it with you guys!" shouted Zhalia suddenly, as she stood up and banged her fist on the table, making everyone stop what they were doing. "All you guys ever do is embarrass me. You don't even look out for me like big brothers should! Elana has one older brother and he looks out for his younger sister; I have seven older brothers which means I should get seven times more the protection but no, I don't! All I get is seven dimwit of a brothers who don't care about anyone but themselves! I rather have one older brother who cares about me than seven who don't! Wait, scrub that; I rather have sisters so I don't get ganged up on for being the odd one out! After everything I've done for you guys so you can get your happy little endings and you guys still treat me like rubbish!" And with that, she stormed out the room and out the front door. Everyone was silent for a few seconds, shocked by what just happened.

"Um, I think that's my queue to leave! Thank you for the food, Mrs Benedict-" I started to say.

"Please call me Karla." she said.

"Ok. Well, anyway, thanks for the food, I should get going!" I said as I got up and started to make my way out the room.

I stopped at the dinning room door. "By the way, you guys should mend things with Zhalia; you never know when you guys might see her last!" I said before leaving them to think about what I had just said.

Zhalia's POV

I stormed out the house; why did I get stuck with the seven most awful brothers in the world! I need something to get my mind off this.

_Elana, are you free? _I called out telepathically to her.

_No, sorry! I'm out with Parker._ she replied. Sighing, I cut off the connection with her and tried Cleo.

_Hey, Cleo? You free?_ I asked.

_I'm babysitting my little sister with Jeff. You can come round if you want?_ she asked.

_No, it's ok._ I said back and cut off the connection, not wanting to end up looking after her sister whilst they snogged. It's not fair; why can't I have a soulfinder or a sister?

"Zhalia?" someone called out. I turned to find Jace standing there a couple of metres away.

"What do you want; to embarrass me more?" I questioned, with a slight coldness to voice.

He walked towards me. "No, I don't. I just wanted to see if you were ok. It was quite heated back there." he said as he put a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. I gulped at the fact that he was so close. Is he bipolar? I thought he hated me.

"I- I'm...fine, thanks!" I replied, shakily.

"I know that deep down, you love your brothers. You just don't realise it yet. I used to argue with my sisters a lot even though I loved them." he said.

"Used to argue with them? You guys must be really close now if you don't argue any more, right?" I frowned. Why couldn't my brothers _not_ start arguments with me?

"I don't know any more!" he muttered so quietly that I barely just heard it. What's that supposed to mean? Leaning forward, he whispered into my ear sending shivers down my spine "Just be careful, ok?" He left before I could even reply. Was that meant to be a warning?!

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><p><strong>Author's note: Please leave a review, fav follow! This chapter was longer than I expected so I'm hoping for loads of reviews!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's note: Thanks for some of the reviews, favs and follows I got! Please, please please keep them coming! Enjoy this chapter (this one is where things start to spice up a bit :-D )...**

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><p><span>Chapter 8<span>

Zhalia's POV

I ignored my brothers after the incident during lunch yesterday with Jace. Every time my brothers spoke to me, I walked straight through them as if they weren't there; I know that I won't be able to keep the silent treatment up for long because they will somehow find a way to start an argument with me again. Today was the last dance class before it finishes for the holidays. I changed into what Molly told us to wear for this lesson as we normally do something different on the last lesson before the holidays. Today, the girls had to wear a nice, loose dress and leggings and the boys had to wear something that looks some-what smart but also flexible. As soon as I finished changing, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I called.

"Crystal." she replied.

"Ok, come in." I said. She came in and shut the door behind her. "What's up?"

"The ceiling!" she joked.

"Ha ha, very funny!" I said sarcastically, smiling. That's what I liked about Crystal, she was the kind of person that you could just have a laugh with and relax. "What do you want to talk about?" I asked.

"I want to talk to you about finding your soulfinder." she said slowly. Oh, I thought. "Do you want me to-" she was interrupted by the sound of a very loud knock on the front door.

"I think that's Elana and Cleo! Gotta go, bye!" I quickly said as I ran out the room and down the stairs. My lucky escape. "Quick, let's go. I have to tell you what happened yesterday." I said to Elana and Cleo before telling them what happened during lunch and the weird little encounter with Jace.

-(at the dance club)-

"Right, my little dumplings!" said Molly. "Last lesson before we break up so we're going to try something a little different today! Get into a pair with the opposite gender. Hang on- I'll put you into pairs as I know you will make a fuss!" Load groans travelled around the room.

Elana was picked with some guy called Eric and Cleo was paired with someone called Matt.

"Let me see, who shall I put with Jace?" questioned Molly, tapping her cheek.

"Why don't you put him with Zhalia, Miss? She hasn't got a partner yet!" shouted Cleo above all the chatter which earned a grin from Elana.

"Why not? Zhalia can give some tips to the new student if he's stuck!" exclaimed Molly. Cleo is totally going to die for this! I glared at her as I walked over to Jace. She grinned stupidly back at me; if her grin was any bigger, her face would have split from stretching too far. Jeff would sadly have no more of Cleo's face to kiss. Jace didn't seem to be embarrassed or anything when I was paired with him. When Molly showed us the steps to the music, we started practising. Despite the fact that the routine was short, some people found the steps hard to learn as it wasn't our normal style of dancing. Because of this, Molly had to keep going over the routine which took about half the lesson. I absolutely love dancing so the steps came quickly to me; Jace seemed to learnt the dance quickly too.

"All right, I'm going to put the music on without stopping it. Let's see how far each couple can get!" said Molly as everyone got into their positions. I stood face-to-face with my partner.

I gulped as I looked up at Jace. My heart started racing, thumping hard against my chest; I hope I don't trip and make a fool of myself! As soon as we made eye contact, the music started and we were off! He grabbed my hand and put his other hand on my hip before we started to move. Normally when a guy touches me, it feels weird and not right. But for some reason, with Jace it just felt right- comfortable! The feeling of his hands on me sent tingling feelings down my spine as if we were made for each other. As the music got faster, our steps and movements got faster and had more energy in them. We twisted, turned and jumped to the music. We also split off to do our own little steps before coming back together. Whilst I was doing my own steps, I looked at Jace and smiled with excitement in which he returned. His smile made my heart flip before it got stuck in my throat. Why does this guy have to be so damn gorgeous? I melted into his body as he rolled me back into him, sucking me up into the moment of what seemed to be like a fairytale. I'm enjoying him way too much.

I could feel his defined muscles when I leaned against body during the dance. He had firm, but also a soft grip- he definitely works out! Wait, what?! Zhalia, get a hold of yourself; he's a pain in the ass. You have a soulfinder out there! a voice nagged at the back of my mind. I ignored it, not wanting it to ruin this special moment... Despite him being and asshole. Everything else around us became a blur- like they weren't there. It was like it was only me, Jace and the music. Soon Jace put his arm behind my back and I curled back against it whilst the music slowed down to a halt. As soon as the last note finished, I slowly stood up straight with my eyes closed. Our bodies were touching but our hands were by our sides as we breathed heavily. I could feel his hot breath on my face. I opened my eyes to find his face inches away from mine, his eyes staring straight into mine. There was a look in his eyes which I couldn't quite decipher. Slowly, his eyes travelled down at my lips as his slightly opened. My stomach flipped. Was he going to kiss me? As soon as that thought popped into my head, I realised that I wanted to kiss him despite the fact that I was waiting for the one! And the fact that he was cruel! I'm not sure how many times I will mention it, but I will keep doing it. I could feel myself falling for this guy and fast. What is wrong with me? I only met this guy a couple of days ago! I shouldn't feel this towards him. He hesitated, wondering if he should kiss me. However, he never got a chance as the moment was disturbed by claps coming from around us. I suddenly remembered that there were other people in the room. I took a couple steps away from Jace, embarrassed at the fact that everyone witnessed us so close. However, it helped me gain control of myself and my feelings.

"Bravo! Bravo! That was amazing! You two are an excellent dance couple; you give us, the audience, the emotion we wanted when we watched the routine! You left us speechless which is what the dancers should do in any type of dance!" complimented Molly. She turned to the rest of the class."Everyone- that is the standard I expect!" Was everyone watching us dance? Man, this is so embarrassing! I wish somebody could just kill me know. I quickly glanced and Jace to find him staring at me, frowning, as if he was studying me. He didn't hear what I thought did he? Is he a savant? I quickly looked away, starting to feel a little uncomfortable and even more embarrassed.

Thankfully, the lesson soon quickly finished! I quickly went to grab my stuff and walked towards Elana and Cleo. "That was amazing, Zhalia!" commented Cleo. "I didn't like dancing with Matt because it should have been Jeff- it felt awkward."

"I know how you feel! I wanted Parker to take Eric's place. Though, Parker can't dance to save his life!" Elana said, smiling.

"I knew it was a good idea to put you and Jace together!" Cleo said grinning as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Oh, shut up!" I groaned, but deep down, I was smiling.

"I need the toilet quick before we go; I'm bursting!" said Cleo.

"I'll come with you. I need to redo my make-up!" said Elana.

I smiled at my two best friends and said "I'll wait outside, I'm gonna check my phone." They nodded before going inside the girls toilet. I got my phone out of my bag and went on Facebook.

Soon, I heard crackling noises so I looked up to see the security camera drop down, facing the floor as if it wasn't working. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was slammed against the wall making me drop my phone and bag. I looked up at the person to find Jace staring right back at me.

"Don't move!" he hissed through his teeth. He clamped my mouth shut with one hand. With his other hand and his body, he forced me against the wall to stop me from escaping. I tried to phase through him but for some reason I couldn't! I could only phase through the wall behind me or the floor but I couldn't escape his grip. Why couldn't I phase through him? He withdrew his hand that was covering my mouth and then that hand started to glow a yellowy kind of colour. I was too scared to scream. I looked closely at his glowing hand to see it looked like electricity, lightning or something. Well, that answers my question on him being a savant! I thought.

"Sorry but I'm gonna have to kill you! Don't move, it will make everything a hell of a lot easier for both of us!" he said huskily. Man, why did I have to wish for someone to kill me before just because I was embarrassed. Quick mental note to self, despite the fact that I'm going die any minute now, be careful of what you wish for.

_PLEASE! Why do you have to kill me? What have I done to you? _ I screamed telepathically to him, struggling to escape from his grip. If his power was electricity, why the fuck couldn't I phase through _him?_

He froze as his glowing hand of electricity quickly died down.

"Shit... Do that again!" he whispered as he stumbled back, letting me go.

Feeling uneasy as I was just on the verge of death, I replied breathlessly "Do what again?"

_This... _came his voice which sent sparks flying in my head; ironic because of his power, I know, but that's what it felt like. Everything seamed brighter, more alive!

_Oh my god! It's you; You're my soulfinder!_ I exclaimed. I don't know if I was excited or scared shitless- he did try to just kill me.

He stared at me with wide eyes before his eyebrows suddenly creased together in anger. "It had to be you, didn't it? Out of all the people, fate decided to put me with you! A stupid Benedict girl!" he said through his clenched teeth. It felt like his words came out of his mouth and slapped me around the face multiple of times- God did it sting! Didn't I want to be away from him though, didn't I hate him? But you also wanted your soulfinder, came my conscious again. His arms trembled with anger as little electric sparks flew out from his hands and onto the ground before sizzling out. I wanted to go up to him- to comfort him. But I was too scared, too shocked to move.

"Damn it!" he shouted before bolting **(AN: sorry for the pun!)** out of the building, leaving me stranded in the corridor. I just stood there for a few seconds before I grabbed my phone and bag and forced myself to leave the building as well, confused as hell to what just happened.

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><p>I started to make my way home when a black Audi skidded round the corner and slowed down as it got near me. I turned to see the tinted windows winding down on the front passengers seat to reveal Trace in the driver's seat with Victor next to him and Xavier in the back. You could tell I was pissed by calling Victor and Xavier by their full names. But to be honest I call them that to piss THEM off sometimes.<p>

"Hurry up and get in the car! About 20 minutes ago, Zed and Mum foresaw you getting killed but they didn't see the killer's face. We're going on lockdown!" Trace commanded.

"I'm not getting in the car with you guys." I spat before carrying on walking.

The car sped up a bit to catch up with me.

"Get in the bloody car, Zhalia! Now is not the time to mess around!" Vick ordered.

"Now is not the time to mess around?! Every single time I was serious, all you guys did was mess around so don't tell me that now when I'm not even messing around!" I said, starting to get angry. I just found my soulfinder and he just rejected me- he nearly even killed me!

"I'll make it home myself!" I hissed before running home, the car trailing behind just in case anything happened to me.

Phasing through the door, I found the rest of the family in the corridor waiting patiently.

Mum ran towards me. "¿Estas bien? ¿Sabía usted se lesiona en el club?" **(AN: It says 'Are you ok? Did you get hurt at the club?' sorry if it's wrong, Google translate)** she questioned in Spanish, her voice slightly rising with worry as Xav, Vick and Trace came in through the door. As Mum had a big dose of Mexican heritage, she could speak fluent Spanish. I learnt it from a young age as I was always interested in what my Mum was saying when she sometimes spoke to her mum in Spanish. My mum gave up on teaching my brothers as they never were that interested. It became me and my Mum's secret way of speaking in case we didn't want the boys to know what we're talking about.

"I'm fine!" I said not bothering to speak back in Spanish. I ran upstairs to my room quickly, not wanting to answer any more questions.

"She's not ok. Something's definitely up." I heard Sky say, obvious vehemently read my aura. I sighed as I went into my en-suite to have a shower, hopefully washing all my troubles away...

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><p><strong>Author's note: Did you like the dance scene? What do you think about the part where they find out they are soulfinders? Or how about the the other parts of the chapter? Tell me in the reviews! Reviews, favs and follows make me happy!<strong>


	10. Chapter 9

**Authors note: Thank you for all the reviews.**

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><p><span>Chapter 9<span>

Jace's POV

I started at her, eyes wide open, before I creased my eyebrows together in anger. "It had to be you, didn't it? Out of all the people, fate decided to put me with you! A stupid Benedict girl." I said through my clenched teeth. My arms trembled with anger as little electric sparks flew out from my hands and onto the ground before sizzling out. Did she know what the consequences of being soulfinders with me were?

"Damn it!" I shouted before bolting out of the club doors. I had to get away from her! Why?! Why did my very first assignment mean that I had to kill the person that ended up being my soulfinder? Dad will eventually find out something's not right and will do something about it- he might even kill her himself. He was going to torture me any way if I don't get the job done but when he finds out we're soulfinders- that will be worse! Why does my life have to be so damn complicated? I wanted to scream in frustration and let my powers be free but I know I'm not allowed...

Zhalia's POV

I was hungry. I didn't have a snack like I normally do after I come back from the club. I crept downstairs and made my way towards the kitchen. As I headed towards the kitchen, I could hear voices coming from the front room. I stopped to listen as to what the rest of the family were talking about.

"I think Zhalia's not telling us something." came Uriel's voice.

"I could force her to spill it out!" suggested Vick.

"Zhalia won't let that happen and you know it! She obviously won't let Uri look into her past as well." replied Trace.

"Who could the killer be? He must be a savant as Mum and Zed saw the killer's hand glowing with bolts." asked Yves.

"How about that boy that came to our house? Jace wasn't it?" Cora spoke.

"He's not a Savant." Zed stated.

"How do you know?" asked Sky.

"I tried speaking to him telepathically." Zed said before he started to explain:

-(Flashback in Zed's POV)-

I'm currently in the most boring class ever-American History! Why the hell did I ever choose this subject? Luckily, Jace also decided to sit through this class so it was just a tad bit less boring. To pass the time, I decided to see if Jace was a Savant. I turned to face him as he was sitting next to me.

_Hey, Jace. You a Savant?_ I called out telepathically to him. He just carried on staring at the front of class as Mr Ozawa carried on talking about the lesson. Ok, he wasn't a Savant. If he was, then he would have had that look on his face saying 'I got a message' and at least reply.

-(End of flashback and back in Zhalia's POV)-

Zed thought he wasn't a savant- maybe Jace was acting like he wasn't a savant and chose to ignore him for some reason.

"I didn't get a danger warnings radiating out of him when came round. Did you dad?" asked Will.

"No, I didn't." Dad said.

"Well, if it's not Jace, who is it then?" asked Mum in frustration.

"I don't know but we'll find out like we normally do." comforted Diamond.

I quickly grabbed something from the kitchen and ran back to my room before they noticed I was there and started to ask me questions. As I sat on my bed, I looked at all my photos above my table, remind myself of all the good times I had. Suddenly out of nowhere, Cleo and Elana teleported into my room and landed on my bed. I got so scared that I dropped my food on my bed, screamed "Holy shit!" and phased through my bed and floor and into the front room.

"Zhalia! Mind your language!" said Mum sternly.

"What happened? What made you so scared that you phased through the floor?" asked Dad, worried.

"Umm... nothing. I was watching a scary film!" I lied.

"Yeah right!" Xav snorted.

"Well, if it was just a scary film," Uriel started to say, "then can you please get off my lap!"

I quickly became aware of the fact that I had fallen onto his lap. I jumped off with a disgust look on my face. I caused a few snickers and an angry Uriel from when I fell onto his lap.

I quickly wiped my hand on Ida and said "Here, have your soulfinder's germs!" before running off back to my room. I didn't bother opening the door, I just phased through to find Cleo and Elana looking at my bookshelf and photos. "What the hell!" I shouted at them. "We're on flipping lockdown; you're not supposed to be here!"

"We kinda guessed you were on lockdown as you haven't been answering our calls or replying to our texts!" shouted Elana back.

"And besides rules are meant to be broken even if that wasn't the reason why we're here." said Cleo.

"Then why are you here?" I questioned, annoyed at the fact that I was gonna get seriously told off for them being here. As if right on queue, my parents burst into my room with the rest of the family trailing behind them before Cleo and Elana could get a chance answer.

"We heard shouting, what happened?" Dad said quickly. He stopped when he realised the two break-ins were here. "What are you two doing here? You're not allowed here right now!" he questioned. He turned to me, "Zhalia?"

"Don't look at me! I was just asking them the same question; they were the ones that actually scared the living daylights out of me!" I said, offended of being accused for being part of a break in into my own house.

"We just wanted to know why we were stranded at the club. We went looking for you everywhere at the studios before we decided to give up, Zhalia. You even blocked us telepathically! What was so important that you left us and didn't tell us that you were going?" exclaimed Cleo.

"I technically didn't leave you stranded; you still had your mode of transport to get home." I pointed out as I looked at Elana so they knew I was talking about her teleporting.

"A heads up would have been nice when you ditched us!" retorted Elana.

"Sorry for my lack of communication!" I said sarcastically.

"You better have meant that!" warned Cleo.

"Okaayy! Time to chill down!" said Diamond as she used her peace making powers on us to calm us down.

"I want an explanation on why you left so suddenly!" gritted Elana, trying to fight Diamond's powers.

_Not here and not now!_ I said to them telepathically so my family didn't hear.

_Does this have anything to do with the shouting and stuff we heard when we were in the toilet? Why do you want to keep it a secret from your family?_ questioned Cleo.

_Like I said, not here, not now!_ I said.

"They're using normal telepathy!" Crystal complained as she rubbed her head causing Xav to go to her instantly. Damn her for getting headaches when people use normal telepathy around her.

"Zhalia, what's going on?" asked Mum.

"Nothing, they were about to leave." Taking the hint, Elana teleported herself and Cleo out of the house.

"We need an explanation, young lady!" Dad started to say. "What is going on; what happened at the club?"

"We danced at the dance club!" I said. It wasn't a lie, it just wasn't the whole truth. Sky hopefully wouldn't be able to detect a lie because it technically wasn't a lie.

"Why can't you just tell us what the hell happened?! It's so flipping obvious something happened!" Trace nearly shouted.

"Because there's nothing to talk about." I stated bluntly.

"Of course there isn't! There's nothing interesting that goes on in your life!" Zed said coldly.

"Zed Benedict! That was really cruel!" Sky said in shock. She dragged Zed out of the room by the ear, muttering something that sounded like a threat aimed at him.

"We're going to talk about this later, Zhalia." said Mum as everyone started to file out of the room. Not wanting to make eye contact, I nodded before Mum left too. I shut my door and slowly let go of the breath I realised I was holding.

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><p><strong>Author's note: Did you like that? Give your thoughts on this chapter and the edits on the previous ones please; thanks!<strong>


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Note :This chapter is dedicated to AutumnRiver13 for making me update! (Hope she updates The Muppet Show now as part of the deal; go read it if you haven't. It's one of my fav Crystal and Xav story!)**

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><p><span>Chapter 10<span>

Zhalia's POV

Monday slowly made its way to the present. The rest of Saturday and all of Sunday were filled with constant questions aimed at me about what really happened at the dance club. I repeated my answer over and over again about nothing happening. The area had been searched and we were out of lockdown today; finally free from this mad house. It was driving me insane when everyone was whispering about me when I wasn't around. I checked my phone to find a text from Cleo:

**Are you out of lockdown now? Movie night tonight with Elana and other people, come with? You can explain why you ditched us then. ;-)**

I replied instantly, wanting to escape from this prison.

"Where are you going?" quizzed Xav, grabbing my arm as I was about to leave to go to Cleo's house.

"Let. Go. Of. My. Arm." I gritted. I phased through his grip as he didn't retreat his hand.

"We literally just came out of fricking lockdown; where do you think you're going so quickly?" he frowned.

"Out." I said dryly.

"Well, that wasn't vague or anything!" he said sarcastically. "What is wrong with you? You're acting more weird than normal. What really happened at the club?"

"Nothing happened; can you please just stop with the constant nagging?"

"Can you stop with the constant silence? I mean, we're trying to protect the family and all you seem to think is that it's ok to suddenly hide important details from the rest of us!" he exclaimed.

"I'm not hiding anything." I sighed in frustration.

"We DO care, Zhalia." Xav muttered quietly. Too quietly that I almost missed it.

"What's going on here?" walked in Yves before I could reply. Argh, not another utterly annoying brother.

"He's being annoying, that's what's going on!" I quickly got my opinion out first.

"Wow! Xav annoying? Pff! He's, like, the least annoying one out of all of us!" Yves said sarcastically as he swatted Xav around the head with what seems to be a rolled up science magazine.

"Why thank you kind Sir!" he jokily replied with a fake posh accent as be bowed down to Yves who sniggered in response.

Turning around to face the door, I said "You boys are pointless! I'm going to Cleo's for movie night, don't wait up."

"Don't worry! I won't be staying up for you, I've got my bed to go to. The bed that I've been pulled away from as we were awake and looking behind each other's backs for the last two fricking days!" Xav shouted causing me to roll my eyes.

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><p>I didn't bother to ask Elana or someone to take me there, I needed time to think things through. What was I thinking? Why am I hiding the fact that Jace, my soulfinder, nearly killed me? Is it because of the stupid soulfinder bond that makes me want to protect him? I've never kept a secret like this that could endanger the family... But to be honest, I never had my soulfinder back then too.<p>

I was about to knock on Cleo's door, when it swung open to find the host herself grinning.

"Great, you made it!" she said as she literally grabbed my arm and dragged me inside to find Elana, Parker and Jeff in the front room. "We have one more guest yet to arrive." Cleo announced, smiling at Elana.

I narrowed my eyes at them "Who is this guest exactly?"

"You just have to wait and see!" said Elana. She turned to face Cleo and said "By the way, where's the rest of your family?"

"My parents are at work doing late shifts, Danni is staying round her friend's house and I don't know about Finn; he's probably getting wasted somewhere with his friends." Cleo shrugged. Danni, short for Dannielle, was Cleo's younger sister and Finn was her older brother. "Where is the special guest? You guys did tell him to come, didn't you?" she asked Jeff and Parker. They nodded.

"He did say he was going come." said Jeff.

He? I thought. Suddenly it clicked. "You ask Jace round, didn't you? He's the special guest?"

"Umm, maybe!" said Elana.

"I can tell this is going escalate quickly so me and Jeff will be in the kitchen making snacks." Parker said as he pulled Jeff out the room.

"What the hell?" I burst. "Do you know the consequences of him coming around are? He could-"

"He could what, Zhalia? Kill us?" Elana said getting annoyed. By the look on Cleo's face, she was getting annoyed too.

"Funnily enough, he-" I started to say before getting interrupted again, but this time by the door bell.

"Looks like it's him- be nice!" Cleo glared at me before she went to go open the door. Parker and Jeff also came to greet the special guest.

The second he saw me, he spun around to Jeff and Parker "You said she wasn't coming! If she wasn't coming, then why is she here?" he quizzed as he pointed at me. Didn't anyone tell him that pointing at people is rude?

"What is with you two? Has something happened that we need to know about?" complained Elana. "Nothing. Happened." gritted Jace. It's like he took the words straight out of my mouth! He looked straight at me; his eyes questioning me if I was going let the 'incident' slip out of my mouth. "I'm going. I don't like being lied to." he said, facing the door.

_And I don't like being killed!_ I spoke to him telepathically. I'll let that slip out of my mouth, or mind, I thought. Seeing him flinch at my comment made me smirk; feel the burn, Jace! Feel the burn!

"You are not going anywhere!" Cleo grabbed his arm. "Technically, it wasn't lying as they didn't know she was coming. It was a last minute thing. You are definitely staying if it's the last thing you ever do."

"Why are you so determined for me to stay?" Jace said as he snatched his arm back. "Are you trying to kidnap me?" A sudden smile started to appear on his god-damn-good-looking-face. Why is he smiling? "If this is an attempt of a kidnapping, it's not very good."

"Who said we were kidnapping you? And how do you know if this isn't a good attempt on kidnapping?" I stepped forward towards him so we were a rulers length away from each other. Back down, Zhalia; what are you doing?! a voice nagged at the back of my head which I simply ignored.

"It just isn't your style!" he smirked at me.

"How do you know what my style is?" I frowned as I looked up at those big blue eyes.

"By the way you look."

"By the way I look?" I said. "What's your style? Making sure a girl's alone so you can then kill her after giving her the biggest shock of her life? Yeah, I think that is your style; I can tell by the way you look!" The second the words came out of my mouth, the lights in the passage flickered before going back to normal- well, someone's angry! Having seven brothers mean you polish on your argumentative skills.

"Okay, people. Back up!" Cleo said, breaking mine and Jace's glaring contest as she came between us and pushed each other away before someone actually killed the other one. "I don't want a dead body in my house, please."

"I'll check the electricity fuse." Jeff said making his awkward escape. Parker muttered something about helping him as he followed Jeff out.

"You guys are gonna sort this problem out during your time here!" instructed Elana.

"I've got to go before 8, I have things to do." sighed Jace, knowing that Cleo and Elana wouldn't let him leave. From the corner of my eye, I could see Elana and Cleo smirking at each other. If their thoughts have anything to do with me, Jace and the time being after 8 o'clock, then they're going wish they were never born.

"I need the bathroom." I stated as I headed up the stairs.

"Yeah don't worry, we won't ditch you!" Cleo said sarcastically.

"Haha, very funny!" I said before I entered the bathroom.

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><p>I bumped into Finn, who was headed to his room, as I came out of the bathroom. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going!" I apologised.<p>

"It's ok, beautiful!" he slurred.

I looked up at him shocked. "Finn, are you drunk?"

"I only had a few beers, love!" he replied as he put his hands on my waist.

"Don't touch me, Finn!" I said as I phased through him. I didn't have to hide my powers in front of him as he was a savant too.

"Touch you? But Zhalia, we were meant to be!" he smiled a smile I didn't like.

"You have a soulfinder out-" I couldn't finish my sentence as Finn's lips came crashing down on mine. I pulled back in disgust. "Get off of me Finn or I'll scream!"

"What's wrong Zhalia; didn't like the kiss? Let yourself go and you'll realise your love for me and enjoy this kiss!" He was about to place his lips on mine again but was suddenly pulled back and slammed against the wall.

"She said get off her so I'd advise you listen to the girl!" hissed Jace.

"What if I don't? What's it to you anyway?" replied Finn.

"Everything!" Jace managed to say before he and Finn started rolling around on the floor, fighting.

"Finn, Jace stop it!" I screamed. My screams attracted Cleo, Elana, Parker and Jeff. Jeff and Parker jumped into action and pulled Finn and Jace apart.

"What the hell just happened?" Cleo shouted.

Jace's POV

"What the hell just happened?" Cleo shouted.

"That drunken bastard kissed Zhalia!" I growled, as I tried to shake out of Parker's grip. I couldn't stop the soulfinder bond taking over; it made me jealous and want to protect Zhalia even though I should be doing everything opposite to that.

"Well someone's jealous!" muttered Elana which earned her a few glares. "I'm gonna shut up now!"

Zhalia walked in between me and Finn who struggled to get out of Jeff's grip.

"I'm not your love interest Finn, you had no right to kiss me. You have a soulfinder out there." she said to Finn. She turned to me and said "And you! What is wrong with you? One minute you're trying to kill me and then the next, you're saving me from stupid kiss? What are you trying to do and achieve?" What _am_ I going to achieve?

"Hold on! Kill you?" stammered Cleo. "You nearly killed her?" she asked me. She got the answer she needed when I didn't answer. "Out. I want you out." I didn't object. I quickly went up to Finn''s face and breathed "Don't touch her again." before I left the house.

Zhalia's POV

After Cleo took Finn to his room and had a big go at him, we all (except Finn and Jace) were sitting in the front room with hot drinks as I explained everything, right from the beginning when Cleo and Elana went to the bathroom to this very point in time.

"Zhalia, what are you going to do?" questioned Elana.

"I don't know Elana. I don't know." I replied.

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><p><strong>Author's note: Please favfollow/review. Btw, you can still review as a guest so please do if you don't have a fanfiction account!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Author's note: Thank you for reaching 51 reviews (I'm over half way to 100; let's see if we can get at least 100 by the time this story is finished)!**

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><p><span>Chapter 11<span>

Zhalia's POV

I tossed and turned in bed, trying to get into a comfortable position so I could finally sleep. I groaned as I sat up in my bed, giving up on sleep. I looked at my clock to see it was precisely 1:59 in the morning. Everyone was sleeping by now except me. I came home late last night due to being at Cleo's house. To get our minds off the 'Jace' problem and just relax, we ended up just watching Disney films (much to Jeff and Parker's annoyance). Dad and Mum were the only ones to stay up waiting for me to come home. The second I walked in, they checked I was fine and they went to bed themselves. I turned on my bedside lamp to the dimmest setting and slowly got a book from my shelf as I tried not to wake up the girls sleeping in my room. I chose a book that will make me cry to sleep: The Fault in Our Stars. I love this book despite the really, and I mean really, sad ending. First time I read it (finished in four hours straight) I cried non-stop for days. I was about to start reading when a desperate voice telepathically called out to me.

_Zhalia? Are you awake?_

_Jace?! It's the middle of the night, what do want? _I replied, surprised at his timing.

_Can you meet outside your house in the woods?_

_Why? So you can kill me? I'm taking my chances on staying safe thanks! Are your family here too to watch you kill me so close to my family? _I asked, my voice full of sarcasm.

_I'm not gonna kill you, ok?_ He sighed._ I just want to talk_. I hesitated, should I trust him?

_Please?_ I could hear the desperation in his voice.

_Ok, give me ten minutes. _ I agreed on meeting him. _What if my family find out?_

_Then you have to be extra sneaky then, don't you?_ He sighed with relief.

I could feel him smiling on the other end of the line. I cut off the line and quickly changed out of my pyjamas and into a top and jeans. I grabbed my cardigan as well for the cold night. I past all my brother's and my parent's room to check if they, like the girls in my room, were sound asleep. The second I opened the door, the cold breeze hit me making me hold my cardigan tighter around me. Quietly, I closed the door behind me before I tiptoed off the porch, trying not to make it creek. I could feel the mind barrier my parents put up; damn, I forgot about that! I always wondered how my parents kept the barrier up whilst they slept. If I go through the barrier, I might set the alarm off. Suddenly, I got an idea; they wouldn't extend the barrier underground as I normally don't ever sneak out unlike my brothers. I phased underground and reappeared on the other side of the mind barrier.

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><p><em>Jace? Where exactly are you? <em>I called out to him as I headed into the woods next to our house.

_Here_. He replied. I turned around to find him standing there with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He looked so good in his black jacket and black jeans; he would have blended into the night if it wasn't for his radiant face and messy hair. His hair looked as if he just got out of bed but he didn't need to brush it as it looked sexy just the way it was.

"What is it that you want to so desperately talk about?" I asked.

"I need to try something." he said shakily as he came towards me.

"What?" I whispered, my voice weak at the fact he was so close.

"This..." He closed the distance between our lips, his hands hovering near my waist. I froze, I didn't know what to do. Noticing that I was still as a statue, he pulled back.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that!" his voice was quiet and shaky. I looked up, making my eyes meet his. I didn't recognise the look in his eyes. Was it fear? Sadness? Hurt?

"Why did you kiss me?" I murmured.

"I- I, I can't do it any more Zhalia!" he stuttered, his voice was breaking. "When that son of a bitch kissed you yesterday, jealousy took over me. I couldn't take it. My body and hearts aches for you to be beside me. But..."

"But what?" I urged.

"My family. They'll definitely kill you themselves as you know way too much now and if they found out I didn't kill you. And they'll torture me even more if they found out we're soulfinders. I can't let them hurt you." he whimpered.

"Shh, it's ok!" I said. Despite the fact that he wasn't crying just yet, I could tell he was hurting on the inside- I didn't have to be Sky to know that. "Why are you guys trying to kill me?"

"They." he corrected. "My dad wants to torture your family for putting my uncle, his brother Phil, in jail. I live with my dad, two cousins who are Uncle Phil's children and some other people Dad works with. My cousins, Scott and Jason, also want revenge for their dad being put in jail. However, Jason's more worked up about it. My family can be a bit extreme." he explained.

"How about your Mum; what happened to her?"

"She found her soulfinder and left with my two younger sisters, who are twins, 3 years ago. She left me behind because I was too much like my dad. I always argued with my mum and sided with Dad. Now I realise that my mum was right all along; I should have listened to her. I loved my sisters. They should be around 13 now; they realised what I did was wrong but sometimes they played with me when I wasn't acting like a dick!" he sighed.

Then the realisation hit me "You said 'you don't argue any more' outside my house when you came around because you don't see them any more- your sisters!" He nodded in response.

"What were your sister's and mum's name?" I questioned

"My mum's name is Jane and my sisters are called Amara and Kaira."

"Wait, what?" Could it be? What are the chances of it being them?

"What's wrong?" he asked as he looked down at my face in confusion.

"Never mind!" I said shaking my head. It can't be them.

We stood there in silence staring at the floor awkwardly for a few minutes before he said "I can't, and won't, let my family hurt you! You're too precious to me now!" I looked up into his eyes to see if he was telling the truth. "I think I'm in love with you, Zhalia Benedict!"

I gulped as I looked up into his eyes again briefly before they travelled down to his lips. He leaned forward but stopped halfway, hesitating if he should do it again as he looked at my lips.

I closed my eyes and met his lips with mine. After a second of realising that I wanted to kiss him, he kissed me back, moving his lips with mine, in sync. I slithered my hands up his jacket, feeling his muscled torso and chest underneath it, and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him closer against my body as my hands gripped his hair. He slipped one hand behind my back, pulling me tighter against his body. The other hand found its way to the back of my head, tangled in my hair, as he deepened the kiss. I forgot about everything, including myself. His touch sent shivers down my spine. This wasn't my first kiss, obviously, but it's the first one that really matters. The first one that made me want more. The first one that made me want nothing else in the world. I stopped having boyfriends a year ago when I decided that I was going to wait for my soulfinder; well, I guess I don't have to wait any more! My heart beat grew faster with every kiss. We were equals; he was the other half I was missing all this time, together we make a whole.

"Jace..." I whispered his name on his lips as if it was the only word I knew.

He groaned before his hands slid past my waist and down to the back of my thighs, whilst our lips never left the other. He lifted me with ease as I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms still around his neck and hands in his hair. We pulled back, gasping for air. I immediately missed the contact of our lips so I pulled his head back in. I could feel him smiling against my lips at my desperation before he slightly opened mouth. I took this opportunity and slipped my tongue in and brushed it against his front teeth. Our tongues danced like how we danced at the club, whilst it set off flames. He navigated towards the nearest tree, not breaking the kiss. My back hit the tree bark; I was sandwiched against the tree and Jace but I didn't care! His lips left my mouth and travelled down to the crook of my neck. I tilted my head back as I smiled at the feel of his lips on my neck.

"Zhalia!" he moaned on my neck before moving back to my lips. We kissed one more time before we pulled our lips away and just leaned against each other's foreheads. We breathed heavily, panting from our frantic kissing. "That was the best kiss I've ever had in my entire life!" his thick voice came out of his swollen lips. I slipped my legs off of his waist, our foreheads still touching, his hands on my waist and my hands in his messy hair. I wanted to be in this position for the rest of my life...

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><p><strong>Author's note: They finally kissed! Did you like it? Was it too much? Give your thoughts in the review box; don't forget to favfollow as well if you haven't!**

**PS. AutumnRiver13, your turn!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Author's note: Thanks for all the lovely reviews!**

**Sorry for taking forever to update as I have been really busy; maybe review/fav/follow!**

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><p><span>Chapter 12<span>

Zhalia's POV

I woke up to the sound of banging on my door. "Zhalia, get your butt out of bed, Mum said! It's 12 o'clock!" Will shouted as he carried on banging on the door. Crap, how long did I sleep for? I noticed all the girls had left my room.

"I think she heard you, Will!" muttered Esme.

"If she heard me, she would have replied!" he said before carrying on banging on my door.

"I heard you Will, like everyone else in this area!" I shouted.

"See!" said Esme smugly as she padded away with Will probably trailing behind. I untangled myself from the covers to find out I hadn't changed back into my pyjamas and was still wearing the clothes from when I saw Jace early this morning. I grinned as the memory came back of what happened. The kiss was something, I'll tell you that! We both had to leave shortly after the kiss before someone realised we were gone. I quickly got ready and went to go have some brunch.

"Why are you so late up?" questioned Mum.

"I couldn't get to sleep last night so I read." I replied. That was the truth, but just not all of it. Mum seemed to buy it as she carried on making lunch.

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><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

I couldn't stop thinking about the kiss, Zhalia drives me crazy! I woke up thinking about this morning in the woods. I looked at the clock to see it read 10:30. Great! I missed breakfast with the family; dad's gonna be pissed off. Hastily, I got ready and went to the kitchen. On the way down, I bumped into Jason.

"Where were you this morning, squirt? Your dad was fucking angry when you didn't show your stupid face at breakfast!" he smiled, enjoying the thought of me going to be in pain.

"I overslept, get over it!" I said.

"Someone was definitely busy last night!" he smirked. I froze; how did he find out about me meeting Zhalia.

"What?!" I tried to sound as if I wasn't shaken up. To be honest, I don't know how believable I sounded.

"You were probably doing imaginary make out session with that Australian girl we had to leave behind when we were doing work in Australia!" he laughed.

I eased up. There was this girl in Australia that had a crush on me and she was so desperate to go out with me. Jason always thought I liked her back despite all my protests. I'm just glad that he didn't know about actually meeting Zhalia. Without replying, I walked off towards the kitchen, preparing for the worst.

"Where were you this morning?!" roared dad. I wouldn't be surprised if they heard him all the way in France.

"I overslept." I dully stated.

"Overslept? You never oversleep! What made you so tired that you overslept?" he questioned.

"I was thinking about Zhalia!" I replied instantly. It technically wasn't a lie. I tried to hold my shields up so my thoughts didn't leak out but it had to be fairly weak so my dad doesn't realise I'm hiding something and use his powers to get it from me.

"Zhalia, huh? What were you thinking about her?" he said, as he leaned forward on the table, opposite me.

"I was thinking about when the best time and place to kill her would be." I lied. Man, if they found out about her and me, we're both dead!

"Mmmm... why haven't you killed by now? It's been just over a week since we moved here?" he said.

"Because we're new and people will instantly point a finger at us if she suddenly died." I rushed, trying to remember what he taught me.

"Good, I've taught you well!" he said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Can I go now? I haven't had breakfast yet." I requested as I looked at the time.

He nodded. I left the room quickly with my dad's eyes trailing behind me.

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><p><span>Zhalia's POV<span>

The boys went out for the day to do whatever boys did. And me and the rest of the girls and Mum had a nice pampering time at home whilst watching TV. It was relaxing just to have girl time without being interrupted by my brothers.

Before we know it, the boys of the family strolled into the house, arguing about something. The boys, including dad, went to the rest of the girls and looked all happy. My smile dropped; I would never have that feeling of being at ease with Jace and not worrying if anyone found about him. Hell, I don't know what's even happening between us; are we officially together now because of the kiss? Is he really not going to kill me? If my family knew about him, they would instantly put him and his family in jail along with that uncle of his. Feeling the odd one out, I went up to my room and started listening to some music.

10 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "Zhalia? Can we come in?" asked Sophie from the other side of the door. We? I thought.

"Ok." I said. As soon as I gave my answer, the door opened and all seven of my brother's soulfinders came walking into my room.

"Why are you all here?" I asked which caused Sky to frown. "Not that I don't like it or anything! It's just like I feel as if I've done something wrong!" I quickly amended.

"I- I mean we, want to talk to you about your soulfinder." Cora explained.

"Ummm-"

"You helped us solve our problems when we found your brothers. You were there for us when we needed it." Diamond added.

"What do you mean? I didn't help you; I barely did anything to help you guys be happy." I paused. "You guys are happy, right?"

"Yes, thanks to you Zhalia!" Phoenix added.

"What did I do?" I asked.

"You helped me understand about the world of savants. You were the one that made me feel at ease and more comfortable about it and Zed with the 'girl' time I spent with you. You sorted out Zed when he was going to fast for me." Sky said.

"You were the first soulfinder any of my brothers found; I wasn't gonna let Zed be a dick like he is and ruin the chance of you two being together. I wasn't gonna loose the chance of finally having a sister in the family!" I replied.

"But you did help! And you helped me escape from the community. I don't think Yves would have coped on his own as well. He needed a girl for me to relate to. You were the sister we could rely on to sort the problems out and talk to if we needed anything!" said Phee.

"How about in Venice? How did I help Diamond and Crystal when I was completely brainwashed and didn't even remember my real memories?!" I was curious.

"When Crystal and Saul came to try and get us, you tried to protect us from who we thought were complete strangers at the time!" exclaimed Diamond.

"How did I help Crystal, Esme, Sophie and Cora then?" I said.

"Remember when I had to restore your memories? You didn't let me retrieve your memories when I did everyone else's because you knew that if I used my powers for too long, it will really affect my health. And you were right. I got back your memories when you were satisfied I was ok again!" Crystal smiled.

"You helped Vic to break me out of prison with your powers!" Cora said. Cora was working for the American army before she got captured when she was fighting in Afghanistan.

"You saved me from getting shot at!" Sophie said, reminding me of the memory.

"You helped me get free from the business. And you protected me when we were stranded." Esme smiled weakly.

"See, Zhalia!" Sky grinned. "You have helped us and we want to help you achieve your happiness."

"Yeah, I guess I did help you guys." I said. I put my shields up before continuing "However, I don't think I'm ready to find him yet!" I nodded at Crystal, indicating about her soulseeking powers. "I think I want to finish school first so I have time to deal with any problem that comes in my way during finding him."

"Are you sure?" Sky frowned at me; I think she's picked something up in my emotions.

"Yeah, I'm sure!" I said, trying to act confident.

"Well, ok then! If that's what you want; well just leave you alone for a bit. Shout if you need anything!" Phee smiled, but with a slight sadness in her eyes. With that, she and the rest of the girls left my room. I wanted to scream 'it's not what I want; I want Jace!' but I couldn't...

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><p><strong>Author's note: Sorry for this being a filler chapter and not being that good. Please review, fav and follow anyway!<strong>


	14. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews I got! Here's the next chapter...**

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><p><span>Chapter 13<span>

Jace's POV

It was Friday morning and I planned to meet Zhalia later on in the woods where we first kissed. After we kissed for the first time, we started to see each other more, secretly. After doing everything my father set me to do in the house, I got changed to meet Zhalia. I was about to leave when a voice came from behind me "Tut tut tut. Little Jace sneaking out of the house!"

"I'm not sneaking out. What do you want?" I turned around to ask Jason, who I found leaning against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest.

"I just want to know where you're going?" he replied as he strode over to me. "I couldn't let my little cousin get hurt now, could I?"

"Yes, yes you could! You don't give a shit about me." I turned my back against him and started walking towards the front door.

"Nah ah ah!" he tutted as he quickly blocked the door. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me where you're going!"

"What does it matter to you anyway? You're not my father!" What was his problem?

"I just want to know if you're going to do anything stupid? If you're gonna do something I like doing, then I might tag along cuz everyone likes their older cousin tagging along making fun of them!"

"Me do something stupid?! It's more like you doing something stupid!" I snorted. "If I did anything wrong, you would instantly tell my dad; if you did something wrong; the only person I could tell is my dad cuz you haven't got your dad with you, have you?! He's in flipping jail. You know what they say, 'Like father, like son'; maybe you'll rot in jail too!" The second the words came out of my mouth, Jason lunged at me, trying to rip my head off. What was I thinking; technically, what I said goes for me too. I don't want to be like my dad!

Whilst we were fighting, from the corner of my eye I saw dress float by. I shoved Jason off of me and turned to get a better look to see who's dress it was. No one wears a dress here. I noticed the passage way had changed into a different passage way: a passage way from one of the old houses we used to live in. I saw a girl, no two girls, standing there near the now white door. Twins: they both had light blonde hair with a few freckles dotted just under their eyes on their fading tan. They looked around 10. "Amara? Kaira?" I said in disbelief, my voice slight wavering.

"Remember them?" Jason's voice came from behind me.

"Jace? Jace, is that you?!" Amara and Kaira called out.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! This is isn't real; they aren't real!" I said as I grabbed my head and shook it. This was Jason's doing; he was using his illusion powers to play tricks on me.

"Of course they're real!" Jason's voice sneered.

"If they were real, they would look more like they're 13, not 10!" I hissed as I faced him.

"Unless your dad killed them! You know what they say, 'like father, like son'!" he mocked. "Maybe you're going kill off your children too, like him!"

"That is IT! I've had it with YOU, you fucking bastard!" I could feel the electricity building up inside of me, waiting for me to unleash it. I knew if I let it all out, I might kill everyone other than me in this house due to all the electrical devices so I rained my power and only zapped Jason enough to make him pass out on the floor. The illusions faded away and my view of the house returned back to normal. I quickly went up to Jason to check if he wasn't that badly injured. As I leaned over and nudged him with my foot, he started to wake up. I quickly jumped over him and ran out of the house before he fully came around.

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><p><span>Zhalia's POV<span>

Where was he? I thought as I sat up in a tree. I remember when me and my brothers were younger, I couldn't climb up the trees as I was too scared that I might fall down. My brothers always used to tease me and say that I was a chicken and that I was such a girl. Newsflash to them, I am a girl! I learned to climb trees to prove them wrong. I learned that if I jumped off, I could just phase through the ground and come back up again without a single scratch. I leaned against the trunk and started daydreaming.

"What are you doing up there?" I voice came from down below, breaking me out of my daydream. I was so startled by Jace's voice that I fell off the branch and headed towards the ground. As I always had to fall of the tree, phasing through the ground became like an instant reflex to me. As I came close to the ground, I brushed against the Jace's fingers before phasing through the ground.

I came up above the ground with my arms crossed against my chest and me glaring at Jace who held his fingers on his left hand. I must of brushed against his fingers really hard for it to hurt.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" I scowled as I stomped over to him.

"I was going catch you! You were just a tad out of my reach!" he smiled down at me. His smile made all the problem disappear.

However, I still joked around. "A tad? You know who did catch me? The floor! The floor will always be there to catch me when I fall and you'll always be a tad too far away!" I prodded his chest. He grabbed both of my wrists before I poked him any more as he placed them around his hips. He leaned forward and kissed me right on the lips to shut me up.

"The floor wouldn't be able to do that!" he said as he pulled back. He seemed quite chuffed with himself for kissing me.

Ignoring his cockiness for now, I mumbled "I'll just leave the kissing to you then and the catching for the floor to do!"

"How about I do both?!" he grinned. Before I could ask what he meant and why he was grinning like a child, he grabbed my waist and threw me up in the air, causing me to shriek. He seized my waist as I came down and twirled me around before he placed me down safely.

"You're an idiot, you know that, right?!" I gasped.

"Yep!" he grinned widely. "But the main thing is is that I'm your idiot!"

"Yeah, I guess you are!" I said as I leaned my head in the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent.

"Did you know that there is 1 universe, 9 planets, 204 countries, 807 islands, 7 seas?" he questioned.

"I didn't bother counting!" He just smiled.

"And I still had the fortunate luck to meet you, my beautiful soulfinder! Every bit of you is beautiful, inside and out!"

"If you think bones and guts are beautiful!" I stated.

"Yours is!" he smiled.

"You are so cheesy! I've heard all of these before, you know that right?"

"You didn't say anything before though!" he growled playfully.

"I wanted to hear you sound like an idiot." I grinned wickedly.

"I'm your idiot."

"There again with the stupid cliché comments!" I laughed.

"Anything for you." he smiled as he bowed down.

Jace's POV

"I'm your idiot." I said.

"There again with the stupid cliché comments!" she laughed. Her laugh cease like music to my ears.

"Anything for you." I smiled as I bowed down.

Suddenly, I heard a rustle of leaves coming from behind us as if someone was scampering across them, spying on us. I looked around, keeping Zhalia close behind me.

"Jace?" her voice raised with worry. "Is something wrong?"

_I think someone's here, we should go. _I said telepathically to her.

_Ok._ she replied before we quickly left the woods. I made sure she made it home safely before I made it back to my house.

As soon as I entered the house, I could tell something wasn't right. I heard hushed voices from my dad's office; some of the hushed words in the conversation were 'Jace', 'Zhalia' and 'together'... Fuck!


	15. Chapter 14

**Author's note: Thanks for the comments! This chapter is dedicated to AutumnRiver13. This is my late birthday present to you!**

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><p><span>Chapter 14<span>

Jace's POV

As soon as I entered the house, I could tell something wasn't right. I heard hushed voices from my dad's office; some of the hushed words in the conversation were 'Jace', 'Zhalia' and 'together'... Fuck!

I backed away from the door, swearing softly: shit! How could this happen?! Who was at the forest? Zhalia's in danger; I felt like I was being strangled by something unknown. I never knew that the feeling of protecting your soulfinder would be so painful even if you barley know them! I know what I had to do- the only way to protect her! I grabbed my phone from my pocket whilst quietly leaving the house again, trying not to be heard. 4 o'clock. I still had time. I quickly text Zed saying:

**I need to speak to you and all your family except Zhalia! It is urgent. Make sure all**

**of your family is there except her but also make sure she's with people you**

**trust and know.**

I put on my motorbike helmet and started the engine. About to leave, my phone buzzed as it received a reply from Zed:

**We're all home, Zhalia's at friends.**

Pocketing my phone, I revved my bike and sped down the road and headed to Zhalia's house.

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><p>I banged on the door of the Benedict house. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" came Zed's voice from the other side of the door as I kept banging. After he opened the door and I went in, he lead me to the front room where all of the family, except Zhalia, were.<p>

Saul sat next to the window on a cushioned rocking chair. "So, Jace. What's wrong? Why shouldn't Zhalia be here?" he said his voice was kind and full of love for his family- something my father was quite lacking.

"It'll be easier if I start right from the beginning. That way, I might not miss anything." I started. Saul nodded and motioned for me to sit down which I obeyed. The family was scattered around the room: some on the floor, some on the chairs and the others just simply stood. Despite all either being on the floor, chairs or standing, their counterpart was always near them; something that I was missing right now.

Taking a deep breath, I started my story. "My mum's called Jane. I don't know what her last name is now because I haven't her in three years. She might be married to her soulfinder, she might not-"

"You're a Savant?!" Vic butted in, as everyone had a surprised look on their face. "How come we didn't know a Savant family was moving in?"

"Yes, I am. And as for your second question, let's just say we didn't want anyone to know!" I replied.

"But how come you didn't reply to my telepathic message?" Zed questioned, curious of my previous silence.

"Everything will be explained. Just let me carry on before I miss out something important!" I sighed with frustration. "As I was saying, my mum's called Jane. She took my two younger sisters, who are twins, with her. She left me with my dad, John Donnelly, as I was too much like him." Before I could carry on, I was interrupted again but this time by Trace.

"As in the Savant criminal who the net have been trying to catch for years John Donnelly?! You're the son of a criminal who can get into your head and take away your powers?!"

"Yes! Now will you please just let me continue so you guys can help me?" I started to get irritated.

"Why should we help you?" Uriel said as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Because I don't want to be like my dad, not any more. I used to want to be like him but that was before I met Zhalia!"

"He's telling the truth!" Sky quietly, but loud enough to be heard, piped in.

"Why a sudden change of heart after meeting my sister?" Will questioned.

"She's my soulfinder!" I whispered.

"What?!" the family shouted in union.

After a minute or two with the family muttering anxiously amongst themselves, Crystal said "Do you mind if I check? Just to be definitely sure that you are!"

If you know you're a savant, then who doesn't realise the sparks in your head when you speak telepathically to the love of your life? "Go ahead. If that's what you need to do to be more comfortable with me around, then fine!" I said. She walked towards me with Xav hot on her tail, not letting her out of his sight. Sheesh, I'm not gonna hurt her!

"I need to be in contact with my customer to do my thing." Crystal explained. I nodded for her to carry on. Xav flinched as Crystal put her hands on mine; he put his hand on her back for reassurance.

"He's right, they are soulfinders!" smiled Crystal.

"I swear to god I will do anything to protect her!" I gave a pleading look. "Do you remember a guy called Phil Donnelly who you guys put in jail a year back? That guy was my uncle. My dad as well as uncle Phil's sons, Scott and Jason, wanted revenge. Dad and Jason really took the whole 'Uncle-Phil-going-to-prison' thing to the heart so they're really desperate for payback. Scott's more laid back I guess. He does what he has to do and keeps his promises but he's more of a keep to himself kind of guy. I don't think he has actually killed anyone yet as he is more of the protector. He can create physical shields and mental shields. His mental shields aren't like normal mental shields, they're like actual shields around the mind; they're 10 times stronger than the best savant with strong normal mental shields. No one has ever got past his mental or physical shields. Your powers can't even get past his shields. Dad, as you know, can take away your powers and telepathy for a while. You basically become like a normal person but with only the soulfinder bond still intact. Because dad has to get into your head to take your powers away, he can't take away Scott's as he always keeps his shields up. Jason is an illusionist. He can make you see whatever he wants." I said, carrying on explaining.

"What's your power? And you still haven't explained properly how Zhalia's involved." Yves pointed out.

"I can control and generate electricity. I can even let electricity flow threw me without getting injured." I described. "I hadn't killed anyone before and my dad said I had enough training to start. He wanted me to kill Zhalia in revenge of putting uncle Phil in jail."

"What?!" Karla shrieked. "You were going to kill my daughter?!" For a small woman, she is sure damn scary!

"I was going to, at the dance club, but that's when we found out we were soulfinders and I legged it out of there, leaving her stranded." I slowly let out a breath I realised I was holding. I explained to them what happened at Cleo's house all the way to the present, including the kiss and me finding out that my family knew about us.

"So how come Dad and Will didn't sense any danger from you; Zed and Mum didn't actually see you in their visions; and you not answering Zed's telepathic message?" Xav asked.

"I got Zed's message, I just pretended that I didn't get it. If I reacted then you would have known I was a savant and our cover would have need blown. And Scott used his powers to shield me so your powers couldn't detect anything from me as it couldn't actually reach me." I answered.

"So, what's the plan? I'm just itching to kick some savant criminal's butt!" said Zed eagerly as he rubbed his hands together. Sky swatted him playfully around the head. "What? You want to kick some ass too! Time to show everyone again that you're not the sweet little bambi but a Rottweiler!" he smirked.

"I thought you said I was a very small Rottweiler?! I'm pretty sure you didn't think I could handle it!" Sky smiled.

I cut in between their cute moment and said "I'm going to have to break up with Zhalia!".

All eyes were suddenly on me with their mouths hanging open.

"What?! Why?" demanded Cora.

"The more time I spend with her, the more information I'll get out of her. And I'm not risking the fact that my family might nick the information out of my head and use it to their advantage! As I'm not going to be around her much, I need you guys to protect and always keep an eye on her. My family- if I should still even call them that- will do anything to get her so please, I am begging you please, look after her!" My voice was breaking.

"We're the Benedicts. I'm not going to let my daughter get hurt." Saul said with confidence. He came over to me, put his hands on my shoulder and said "Do what you have to do. Make sure you keep us informed and we'll do the same. Everything will work out, son, trust me! You're part of the family now. You might be turning away from crime but you won't be turning away from us!"

I nodded thankfully. "I-I... I'm going to wait outside for Zhalia to comeback so I can speak to her. Make sure you tell her friends as well, so they can look out for her." I muttered as I made my way out the door.

"He really loves her! I hope for his sake and Zhalia's, nothing bad happens!" I heard Sky say sadly just before I closed the door to wait outside. I have no clue how I'm going to survive without her but if it's for her own safety then I have no other choice...

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><p><strong>Author's note: How's that for a chapter? Penny for your thoughts in the reviews?<strong>


	16. Chapter 15

**Author's note: This chapter is dedicated to two very important people. They've become sisters to me. I would do anything for them (to a certain extent...) – they know who they are!**

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><p><span>Chapter 15<span>

Zhalia's POV

Me, Cleo and Elana went to go watch The Fault in Our Stars this morning. We came out of the cinema with red eyes and puffy faces. How could John Green break our hearts like that? Why did he have to make us love Gus so damn much?! Before we left the building and headed to the park to just hang out, we sorted ourselves out so we didn't look like just had a crying fit. At the park, we hung around the swings- but not like those intimidating group of teenagers that are mean to little children or very judgemental. We started talking about the film but somehow drifted into a conversation about mine and Jace's 'connection'. Seeing that I haven't told them that we were technically seeing each other, it was kind of an awkward conversation. I just don't know how they're going to deal with it.

"Personally, I think your soulfinder is a dickhead and you should carry on ignoring him for the rest of your life. I mean who tries to kill their soulfinder!" Elana put forth her opinion.

"He's my soulfinder; how can I just ignore him for the rest of my life? He didn't know we were soulfinders when he tried to kill me anyway!" I couldn't believe she just said that.

"Are you listening to yourself?! You just said he tried to kill you! He tried to kill you! How can you live with someone who is a murderer?!" Elana interrogated angrily.

"But he didn't kill me! He might have not killed anyone yet! You wouldn't be able to ignore Parker, would you?"

"Guys-" Cleo started to say but was interrupted by Elana.

"Well, my soulfinder is not a dick- he doesn't go around trying to kill people!" she nearly shouted.

"Jace hasn't killed anyone yet!" I repeated. "If Parker went around trying to kill people, you would want to help him to be a better person and to be with him! You wouldn't be able to ignore him!"

"Parker would never do that in the first place!" shot back Elana.

"He could have been! What happened to friends before guys, Elana?" I asked, hurt by her words.

"Since one of my best friends decided to stick up for a lost cause!" she said which left my mouth hanging.

"Elana, enough! What has gotten into you?!" Cleo burst. "Actually, wait. I don't want to hear it right now!"

"I'm going home!" I stated and started to walk off.

_I'm sorry about Elana; I'll speak to her_. Cleo telepathically spoke to me apologetically.

_It's ok; she should apologise herself though._ I replied.

_She will, I'll make sure of it. _She confirmed before cutting the connection. I'm definitely not going to them now- especially Elana.

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><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

I sat on the steps of the front porch with my hands in my face, waiting for Zhalia. How was I going to pull this off. Seeing her heart shatter before my eyes, knowing that I'd be the reason she's hurt, will rip me apart. I might not be able to go through with it and end up making things worse. I had to be strong or who knows what might happen to her. If she knows I'm breaking up with her to protect her then she'll just say we'll do it together and still hang around me. I-

"Jace?" came a voice I instantly recognised- one that I wish I didn't have to face just yet, not wanting to break it. "What are you doing here?"

I peeked my eyes out of my hands and looked up at Zhalia. Sighing, I tried to put on a serious face as I stood up. "Can I speak to you?"

"Fine, whatever!" she said, irritated about something that must of just happened. This is not going to end well! We made our way to our little spot into the woods.

When we entered the small clearing, I stopped with Zhalia a few feet behind me. Turning around to face her, I saw her walking towards me; I put my hand up signalling for her to stop which she obeyed, confused.

"What is it?" she said with a slight worrying tone to her voice.

"I'm breaking up with you." I said, trying to sound as if it didn't affect me.

"What?!" she whispered.

"You heard me, I'm breaking up with you." The more she hates me, the better. Even if it hurts. "It's not gonna work, me and you. The fact that we were always hiding from our families will only make things worse overtime."

"What? Please tell me you didn't tell my family about us?!" she sounded desperate, hurt.

"About what used to be us!" I pointed out. "I don't want to deal with us any more!"

"Did you tell them about the whole killing thing?" she barely even whispered.

"Yes. We have come to an agreement that does not concern you!" I paused, took a deep breath and said "I don't love you.". Ouch- that even hurt me just by saying it... She looked wounded by my words.

"I knew this would happen!" muttered Zhalia. Louder, she said "I shouldn't have trusted you! I should have listened to Elana!" Tears trickled down her face- her beautiful face that I had just crushed.

She ran away before anything else could happen. I was left here. Alone...

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><p><span>Zhalia's POV<span>

I ran home. Why was I so stupid? Your soulfinder doesn't love you! Your soulfinder doesn't love you! A voice sang at the back of my head. I phased through the door. I didn't realise everyone was standing in the passage until Crystal swamped me into a hug.

"Everything will be ok!" she whispered. Does she even believe in her own words?

"No it's not, Crystal!" I said loudly, making sure everyone heard me. Crystal let go of me but looked into my eyes with disbelief. I carried on speaking. "Xav has never, ever, told you that he never loved you." I turned to face everyone. "None of you were rejected by your other half!" My voice broke as the words came out of my mouth.

"I was, Zhalia! Sky didn't like me at first- she hit me with her shopping bags!" Zed mentioned causing Sky to give a sad smile towards him.

"But she never said she didn't love you, did she? She just didn't like you for a good reason: she was new to the whole savant thing. She was scared." I sobbed. "Me, I've been told that my soulfinder didn't love me from the man himself. He had no excuse, he knew about savants."

"Everything is not as it seems, Zhalia!" Ida started to comfort but I interrupted her.

"Is it? The whole thing seems very true to me!" I started to head to my room.

"You helped us, let us help you!" Phee called out to me as I reached the top of the stairs.

"You can't help this lost cause." I muttered before I went to my room, leaving my family to think to themselves.

Curling up in bed, I let the waterfall of tears come splashing down my face, making my pillow wet. Look at yourself! You look just like Bella Swan from Twilight: crying over a boy who left on his own accord. You're weak! The voice nagged at the back of my head again. I stopped myself from crying. I wasn't going to prove the voice in my head right; and I am most certainly not going to grieve over him, even if it does hurt that he left us hanging. I never liked Bella anyway- I'm sure she only used Edward to become a vampire. And besides, who wouldn't choose Jacob?

I fell asleep not knowing what tomorrow will bring...

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><p><strong>Author's note: Please leave a review. Fav and follow if you haven't already.<strong>


	17. Chapter 16

**Author's note: Thanks for all the nice reviews. Here's the next chapter (sorry it's short)...**

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><p><span>Chapter 16<span>

Zhalia's POV

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

Argh, the sound of the alarm clock wouldn't be quiet. I rolled over to the side where the clock sat on the bedside table. Still with my eyes closed, I patted around aimlessly on the table trying to find the alarm clock so I could shut it up! Irritated as I couldn't find it, I sat up and slowly opened my eyes, adjusting it to the light shinning through the crack of the curtains, to find the alarm clock on the far side of the table away from the bed. Then I suddenly realised the alarm wasn't actually going off. I turned it off due to the holidays and some of the girls were staying on my room. What the fuck?

_Beep! Beep! Beep! _Came Xav's voice telepathically. Argh, how could I fall for that?!

_Shut up, Xav! _I growled at him.

_Mum says to wake you up if you want any breakfast! Everyone is up but you._

That's when I realised the girls that stayed in my room were gone and it was like 10. I was quite surprised that my brothers woke up before 10. Slowly, I made my way to the en-suit to get ready for what the day threw at me... Or what I thought the day was going to throw at me.

Soon after lunch, my brothers were just being typical boys and playing on the Xbox with their girls most likely with them or around the house somewhere. Mum was still tidying from lunch with dad reading a book amongst the boys. How he reads there amongst the noise is beyond me. I headed up stairs to my room to get away from them. I noticed something on my desk under my opened window that wasn't there before. Curious, I went over and found an envelope with my name printed in swirly writing on it. How the hell did this get here? I looked out my window but found no one out there. After closing the window, I opened the addressed envelope and pulled out a letter:

To the Lovely Zhalia Benedict,

We have one of yours. Meet us in the woods in the

clearing to get her, Sky Bright, back. In exchange for her,

we want you! Be careful of what you do... As it isn't just her

on the line...

From the dear family of your soulfinder xxx

I stood reading the letter over and over again, trembling more each time. After snapping out of it, I phased through the floor to get to the front room as quickly as possible-this time I luckily didn't land on anyone.

"You should've shot 45 degrees more to the left, idiot!" Yves shouted at Trace.

"Shut up with all the accuracy; you such a geek sometimes!" Trace complained. I couldn't help but think how a 29 year could be playing like this- what were they playing?

"Well, my geekiness is helping us win the game!" Yves shot back.

"Get out of the way, Zhalia!" Will moaned at me, trying to see past me and at the TV. I didn't realise I was in the way but I didn't care at this point.

"Zed! Where the hell is Sky?!" I demanded.

"She went to get something from my car. Calm down!" Zed informed, eyes still glued to the screen.

I rushed to the window that had the view of the front lawn and the family vehicles. Sky wasn't in sight. She wasn't in any of the vehicles as well.

Turning back to Zed, I hissed "You're an IDIOT! How could you let your soulfinder get captured again?!"

Zed shot up, dropping the controller as he stood directly in front of me. He had a few inches on top of me. Being one of the tallest in the family, he towered over me. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN SKY IS CAPTURED?!" He quickly looked out the window to scan for Sky before glaring at me, demanding an answer.

"It means exactly what it sounds like it means and it's all your fault for not looking after your soulfinder properly!" I shoved the letter to his chest which grabbed with good reflexes. Dad and the rest of my brothers looked over his shoulder to read the letter too, suddenly all having no interest the game or in the book. As they started to look at the letter, I got my shoes and bolted out the door.

"Zhalia! Wait!" someone shouted from the open door. "The notes blank!"

Shit, what? Never mind, just keep running. Maybe the captures rigged the letter somehow. Get to the clearing, you need to find Sky. Soon the rest of the family ran after me to find Sky, Zed in front of the herd.

I hastily broke into the clearing.

"Sky?! Where are you?" I called out frantically, scanning the area. Then I saw something in the distance, on the other side of the clearing. Without thinking, I sprinted towards it. "Sky?"

As I got nearer, not just one figure came into view, but five figures. One was on the floor next to what seemed to be a tree.

I got closer. Closer. Closer. Bang...!

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><p><strong>Author's note: For all those people who are following, favouriting and reading this story (ie everyone), please leave a review. Even if it's a couple of words (it doesn't take long) or a big essay. It really helps- I'm expecting loads of reviews, even from guests!<strong>


	18. Chapter 17

**Author's note: Thank you for helping me reach over 100 reviews! Here's the next chapter...**

**(PS There is an URGENT HELP! paragraph at the end which can you please read.)**

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><p><span>Chapter 17<span>

Zhalia's POV

I got closer. Closer. Closer. Bang! Ouch!

I dropped to the floor with the pain mainly in my face. What the hell? Something just hit me; or did I hit it? I ran into something that I couldn't even see. The rest of the Benedict herd caught up; mum dropped to the floor next to me and leaned down over me, panting slightly from the running. "Zhalia, honey? Are you ok? What happened? Speak to me Zhalia! Please be ok!" Man when she's worried- she's worried!

"I hit something!" I groaned. Xav came up to me to give me a check up but I lightly pushed him away as I stood up.

I saw Vick, Trace and Dad standing roughly where I hit something. They were poking something invisible in mid-air and muttering to each other. They looked kind of stupid poking the air.

"Where is Sky? I need her!" Zed said anxiously, he was going loose it any minute now if he didn't get her back.

Before I could reply, Dad spoke up to the rest of us "It's a force field- a physical shield. It must be Jace's cousin, Scott's doing. Their family are behind all of this." Jace: even the sound of his name caused pain emotionally and physically to course around my body.

Zed went over to the invisible shield and looked closely through it to also find the five figures on the other side of the clearing. I examined them closely this time to find that the four standing figures were angled facing away from us meaning that they couldn't see us. One figure was sitting against a tree; from back here it looked like someone with blond hair. He, or she, had their hands between their back and the tree as if they were tied up.

"Sky! Sky!" Zed started shouting as he banged against the shield. I noticed one of the standing figures was Sky and the other three standing were men. If one of the standing figures is Sky, who's the one tied up?

The standing figures turned around to face us, attracted by the shouting coming from Zed. Sky started to run towards us, calling Zed's name desperately. However, before she really got anywhere, one of the men grabbed her.

"SKY!" Zed screamed, frantically banging on the shield as if it is the last thing he'll ever do. As he goes to bang again, he suddenly tumbles forward like the shield had disappeared. Zed steadies himself. It only takes him a few seconds to take in the fact that the shield has gone before he sprints towards the direction of Sky.

"Zed, wait!" Saul shouted after him. I didn't wait either as I legged it after him. "Zhalia!"

"Great! More running!" a female voice from my family groaned as the rest of them came after us. I recognised the three standing men to be Jace's family: John, Scott and Jason. Jace showed me pictures of them when we used to meet up in the woods. He also explained their powers. Stop! I can't think of those memories of us together now! Keep your head on straight, Zhalia! I looked at the person against the tree: Jace. Cloth was tied around his mouth to stop him from speaking. His hands were tied up by ropes which were wrapped up around the tree.

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><p>"Stop!" John commanded, holding up his hand. "If you want Sky to be ok." We all stopped dead in our tracks. John laughed softly, "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?! You give us what we want and we give you Sky!"<p>

"Fine, have whatever you want. Just, please, give us Sky unharmed." Zed demanded but his voice was trembling with fear. Muffled sounds came from Jace, shaking his head frantically as tried to get his hands free. Was he trying to warn us?

"Zed, be careful. You don't know what they want!" Vick warned.

"That's right, Zed!" Jason smirked as he held Sky. "You don't what we want!"

"I don't care, I just want Sky back!" Zed sounded like a whining five year old but right now, I don't think he gives a damn. He became so angry that he ran forward to try to get Sky out of Jason's arms but happened to bump into something and abruptly stop.

"Yes we, I mean Scott, put another shield around us; it would be stupid really, not protecting ourselves from the famous Benedicts!" John informed.

"What do you want?" growled Zed.

"Zed, don't!" Sky said, tears started to form in her eyes before trickling down. "They want Zhalia for me."

Zed looked at me with wide eyes. He didn't know what to do; I knew he was desperate. They didn't ask for any of this. None of them did! This is my problem, not my family's.

"Sorry but we are not swapping like that. Just give us Sky unharmed." Mum demanded.

"My powers aren't working; I tried to use my persuasion powers on them!" Victor butt in before anyone could reply.

"Oh, I should of told you! I took away all of your powers, including your telepathy. We couldn't let you plan something behind our backs, could we? " John informed, smiling. Jason smiled too- but it was aimed at me. Screw him. "I even took away young Jace's powers; couldn't let him try and kill us with his!" John snarled towards his son. Jace shot daggers back at him. Can see the love between father and son there...

"The time is ticking, Zhalia. Make your choice or this innocent life will get hurt!" John said, turning back around and pointed at Sky. Zed took a sharp breath in, he was shaking. He was helpless. He was...

"I'll do it!" I declared. What was I thinking? Saving Sky, that's what. "Only if you let both Sky and..." I looked at Jace, who looked at me with pleading eyes not to. "Jace go. You can't come back for him or my family- you have to leave them alone. OK?" Was I saving Jace too...?

"We accept!" John grinned evilly.

"How will I know you will keep your side of the deal?" I questioned.

"Darling, we will have you! All we need is what you can get for us!" John replied.

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><p>"Zhalia, there are other ways! You don't have to give yourself in!" Mum and Dad begged. I glanced at Zed to see what he wanted. He looked away, ashamed. He was desperate for Sky, he just wanted her back. The rest of the family started saying how stupid the plan was, that I was risking everything. Even Jace desperately tried to get free in the background. Why did he care so much?<p>

"STOP IT!" I shouted, causing everyone to fall silent and stare at me. I let go of a big breath, looked down and I said "There is no other way." I looked up at John, his family and Sky. "I'll go."

"You promise to come with us? You can't escape anyway..." John questioned even though he knew my answer.

"I promise. And I don't break my promises."

"Zhalia. NO! You are not going!" Mum ordered, coming towards me.

"Mum, there's no-" I started to say before the rest of the family all started to speak over me. They all crowded around me, blocking me away from the Donnelly's.

"ENOUGH!" John bellowed. "She has made her choice; come forward Zhalia." As I barged my way through, my family grabbed me. I struggled to get free: perks of being a girl in a mainly male dominating family! The girls helped with their little physical strength.

"Zhalia, I gave you back a certain dose of you powers so you can phase through your family." John notified. I did what he said. People screaming and shouting my name from behind me. My mum the loudest out of all of them. Jace managed to get free from the cloth around his mouth which now hung loosely around his neck. He started to scream at me, begging me to stop. "You can't trust them! Please don't go with them!"

"Let Sky go first. After we leave, my family will free Jace." I instructed. John looked at Jason and nodded.

"Are you sure?" Jason said, hesitant about letting Sky go. John nodded again before Jason let Sky go. She ran towards me and tried to grab my shoulders but just phased through me.

"Zhalia, don't do this! I'm sorry I got captured! You can still get out of this whilst you still can!" She pleaded. Zed quickly grabbed her and wouldn't let her go. He need her in his arms right now. Like I needed to be in Jace's. Don't! I thought. You can't think that way! Xav went over to Sky so he could spot any harm on her without being able to use his powers.

I turned around to family, tears running down my face. "Mum, I love you. You always wanted more girls in the family. I guess now the boys have found their soulfinders, you got what you wanted. You won't miss me any more; you have them!" A waterfall of tears fell from the eyes of my mum. She shook her head frantically. I interrupted before she could say anything. "I love you too, dad. You have to keep them stronger now. You're the anchor always keeping the family together."

"Zhalia, I-" He started to say.

"Well, you guys never really wanted me around!" I looked at all my brothers. "I was always in the way. I never really fit, did I, in a house full of boys? I guess you guys will have your way." I paused, Gove a weak laugh. "When I'm gone, stay out of my room!" I tried to lighten the mood by smiling at my brothers but the smile was weak and the words sounded meaningless in my mouth. "Girls, I'm grateful my brothers found you. I couldn't be happier with who fate chose to be paired with them. I'm glad to finally have people who I can call sisters. I couldn't have asked for better sisters than you: thank you!" By the time I finished, they were all in floods of tears. Except for my brothers who only let go of a few tears. But still!

"Come on, Zhalia! Don't be stupid- Sky's back. We have her now, so don't listen to them." Zed looked broken. Something I was confused about due to the

I looked at Jace, my heartbreaking more.

"Please, Zhalia! PLEASE!" He had tears trickling down his face. "I am begging you, please don't go with them!"

"At least you will be free, safe, with my family." My voice broke as the words came out. I walked towards John, Scott and Jason without looking back. I noticed that the shield enveloped me in. Shouts. Screams. Words that all became one sound.

"Well come to our family now!" whispered Jason as we started to walk away, leaving my family and Jace behind. I didn't like the way he spoke or what he said but I didn't say anything. I knew the shield around us was still intact. Jason grabbed my arm. I tried to phase through but I wasn't able to: John. I still struggled to get loose from Jason's grip.

"Stop trying to get free or I'll knock you out!" Jason threatened. From the sound of his voice, I knew the threat was real so I instantly stopped.

"ZHALIA!" I heard Jace scream, the only sound I understood from the screams and shouts from behind. My heart thumped against my chest making it hard to breath. Emotional pain caused there to be a lump in my throat as we walked away. Who knows what will happen now, if I will ever see my family again. If I ever see Jace again...

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><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

"ZHALIA!" I screamed. Torment. Rage. Sorrow. It all coursed around my body. The one and only person I truly love and care about is gone. Gone and most likely going to be tortured to hurt me for my betrayal. Her family come towards me and someone lets me free from the ropes. I don't bother looking up to see you did. I just tumble forward on my knees and hands, ignoring the rope burns on my wrists. I clench some of the earth. "Zhalia!" I whisper. "I'm going find you and set you free, whatever the cost!" The thought of her getting tortured caused more pain. "Zhalia..." Tears of rage, pain and sadness flooded down my face. It's all my fault, she is suffering because of me.

"We'll help you. She's a Benedict and my daughter! Like she said, I look after my family and I'm going to make sure we bring her back so I can!" Saul gritted though his teeth, upset too.

Saul bent down in front of me and put his hands on my shoulder. "Jace, look at me!" he commanded which I obeyed. I wish I had a father like him: protecting, caring and most of all loving. "We'll get her back! We'll get her back!" I looked past Saul's shoulder at the rest of the Benedicts, and soulfinders. With tears in their eyes, they nodded in agreement with Saul. We'll find you, Zhalia, and bring you home, I thought.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: How was that chapter?! Leave your views in the review box. Let's get past at least 130 reviews on this story! Please?!<strong>

**URGENT HELP! Where is Wrickenridge in Colorado (ie north, south ect) because I can't find it anywhere on the internet! I can only find Breckenridge which is in Colorado! I need help to know if it even exists and if it does, where abouts it is- it would really help with my next chapter. PM if you know anything and review on this chapter. Thanks**


	19. Chapter 18

**Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews, didn't quite reach 130+ though. :'-(**

**Here's the next chapter (please keep your reviews coming)!**

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><p><span>Chapter 18<span>

Zhalia's POV

_Previously..._

_"ZHALIA!" I heard Jace scream, the only sound I understood from the screams and shouts from behind. My heart thumped against my chest making it hard to breath. Emotional pain caused there to be a lump in my throat as we walked away. Who knows what will happen now, if I will ever see my family again. If I ever see Jace again..._

...

The woods were huge here in Colorado. Acres of nothing but trees and a few rivers and streams that snaked their way through. I couldn't help stop the thought of Winnie-the-Pooh living in the 100 Acre wood with all his friends spring to my mind. Compared to mine, they had such a damn easy life! My foot were aching as I didn't bring the right shoes for all the running and walking for the uneven ground in the woods. About 10 minutes after departing from my family, we arrived at another clearing. Waiting there was a helicopter; how the hell they got a helicopter and how they managed to get it here unnoticed was beyond me. I didn't bother asking as I knew the answer won't be so straight forwardly answered.

Noticing my bafflement, Jason grinned, showing of his annoyingly straight and white teeth. Jace's teeth are whiter and straighter than his! Wait, what?!

"Like it, beautiful?" Jason raised an eyebrow at me as he nodded towards the helicopter. "Soon I'll be able to fly this baby!"

I glared at him. "No for your information. It's ugly!" I paused before I continued to growl. "And DON'T call me beautiful again! Ever!"

"All right, beautiful!" He smirked.

"I swear to god, I'll have your repulsive face done for this!" I hissed.

"How? You're not going anywhere, you have no one but your lonely self and you can't talk to anyone but us! And I am not repulsive!" I could tell his blood was starting to boil but I didn't care. I couldn't stop as he already made me angry a life time ago.

"Right, get in the helicopter, all of you!" ordered John. Jason pushed me into the helicopter.

"Calm down, no need to push. I thought you wanted to keep me alive, not kill me!" I complained.

"I wanted to kill you myself a long time ago so shut up!" Jason snapped.

"This is going to be fun- they're like Jason and Jace on a good day!" muttered Scott. Too right! I thought sarcastically. Scott sat on my right whilst Jason sat to my left and John sat next to the pilot at the front. John leaned over to the pilot, and muttered something to low for me to hear. He sat up straight again, looking at the pilot as he did so. The man stared at him for a few moments before finally nodding. Why would someone so reluctant like the pilot want to work for these people? Unless he was getting paid a reasonable amount.

I don't know how long we were in the plane for but I was easily getting bored, especially when I wasn't next to the window. "Where are we going and how long will it take?" I questioned impatiently.

"None of your business!" Jason said, irritated.

"Actually, it is as I'm going to be in that place! What the hell is your problem, anyways?!"

"You: that's what my problem is. Everything was all fine before you showed up and ruined everything!"

"Both of you, enough!" barked John from the front.

"You're not my dad!" I whispered, even though it was loud enough for him to hear.

"That's it! Scott, knock her out with the sedatives. Hopefully she will stay out until we get to Boston! She's caused us enough trouble!" John demanded.

"See?" Jason muttered. Boston; why are we going there? Before I could ask, I felt a pinch in my arm which made darkness take over my eyesight.

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><p>"Wakey wakey, beautiful!" I heard a voice call. Was I dreaming the voice? "Jace got himself a beauty didn't he, don't you agree Scott? Shame he won't see or be with her again!" That got me awake. I jolted up only to bump my head into something. Groaning, I rubbed my forehead. I reluctantly opened my eyes to see Jason rubbing his chin in pain. "Next time, try to bump into me a little less harder!" he advised as he glared at me. "We're here so unless you want one of us to carry you I suggest you get your butt moving!" I reluctantly got out of the helicopter to find ourselves on top of a building which I guessed was in Boston.<p>

"This way! Come on!" John snapped before I could get a proper look at the area. Jason seized my arm and dragged me after John to the roof door that lead downstairs. Scott trailed behind: he wasn't much of a talker, I noticed. We left the helicopter behind with the pilot as we went downstairs. They lead me to a room with no windows, a plain single metal bed and a chair with some clothes on it. I noticed a security camera in one of the corners of the room; paedophilic much?

"This will be your sleeping quarters. I have taken your powers away so you can't use them to escape or speak to anyone telepathically. Scott has put shields around us and especially you so no one can track us here. We can't trust your family now, can we? Especially now that they have a traitor. Jace will suffer without you." John informed.

"What do want me for? Why haven't you just killed me yet?" I interrogated him.

"We want to see your family and Jace suffer after everything they've done!" He said through his clenched teeth. "But don't you know, child, with you we can get whatever we want!" laughed John.

"I won't give you anything!" I gritted.

"Oh, but you already have, Zhalia! You have given us yourself so we can cause pain! Also, every dirty little secret the Net has." John turned to face his nephews. "Let's go!" With that, they all left.

Bored out of my mind, I wondered what they were doing back at home: where they thinking about me? Where my brother's throwing a party? God, please don't let them have gone in my room!

Jason walked into the room after what I counted was half an hour. With too much time on my hands, all you can do is count. "Comfortable?" he asked.

"Not with you here!" I spat in his face.

"I would watch your tongue for it can cost you your life!" he tutted.

"Then do it as I can't stand even the thought of you, you low, self obsessed bastard!" Suddenly he shoved me against the wall, with my back against it. He drew out a small dagger and pressed it against my neck. He breathed heavily on me. "Stop breathing so heavily on me, it is disgusting!" I snapped. I was so scared that that was the only thing that my brain could think of to say.

"I would keep that mouth of yours shut if I were you-" He growled but was interrupted by me.

"Go on then- kill me! I don't think you even killed anyone before or else you wouldn't have been so reluctant to do it already!" I could feel his body tense even though he pressed the dagger slightly harder against my neck.

Before he could reply, a voice came from the door. "Put her down, Jason!" We both turned to see Scott glaring at Jason.

"Why should I listen to you? Is it because your the golden boy!" Jason said sarcastically. "You always get the glory, you get all the respect! Dad always smiled at you and scowled at me; even Uncle John does the same. 'Scott the best. Jason the failure.' But I'll tell you this, I worked every bit as much as you did plus more, I should get the credit and I will! You're going to be the failure now, brother!" Jason shouted with anger boiling in his veins.

"You always asked for trouble, risking our exposure! That's why everyone looked down at you! John doesn't want her dead; if yu kill her, he won't be happy with you." Scott nearly shouted back, trying to keep calm against his raging brother. Jason dropped me causing to fall to the ground, trying to get my breath and heart beat back to normal. He went face to face with Scott who was now fully inside the room.

"Sometimes too much competition makes you lose friends, or in your case, your brotherly bond; but just enough makes the relationship stronger. And from what I can see, Jason, you're tilting on the too much side." I decided to out my thoughts forward even though it would have been wiser not too.

"Shut up, you little bitch! You're existence has made everything shittier around here. Keep that mouth of yours shut or I swear to God I'll do it myself!" Jason yelled at me, clenching his fists.

All of a sudden, he stormed out the room leaving me and Scott staring at the door. He slowly turned to me, gave a long hard look before also leaving the room and closing the door behind him. After a minute, I tiptoed to the door to see if it was locked which to my disappointment it was. A loud sound of a door slamming shut made me jump up in fright. Most likely Jason going out to cause trouble, again..

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><p>.<p>

**IMPORTANT Author's note: I've already started to write the next chapter so if you want it quickly then I suggest you review. Get past 140+ reviews and I'll be updating and if not, then tough luck! Get writing that review...**


	20. Chapter 19

**Author's note: Thanks for all the review. Here's the next chapter as promised! **

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><p><span>Chapter 19<span>

Jace's POV

I stayed on my knees for a few minutes after Zhalia left and Saul spoke to me. The rest of the family were scattered around speaking quietly together or crying. I looked in the distance. I spotted a tree. The same tree that we had our first kiss against. Sad that I remember but I couldn't help it, especially at a time like this where I couldn't just kiss it better...

The walk back to Zhalia's house was unbearable. I shoved my hands in my pockets. They shook so vigorously that I didn't have the control to stop them. I feel like I can't breathe, the air getting stuck in my throat and not going down to my lungs.

_Zhalia, I'm sorry!_ I telepathically tried to call out to her even though I knew it won't reach her because of Scott. I trailed behind the rest of Zhalia's family, staring at the ground. I felt so lost. Like a lost puppy looking for his owner that he loves so much. My eyes were blurry because of the tears but I still looked up. I saw Saul walking with Karla crying in his arms and Saul trying to give her reassuring comments without totally flipping himself. I looked over to Sky who was also crying but in Zed's arms.

"It's all my fault! If I wasn't taken then she wouldn't be with them!" she said weeping.

"It's not your fault! You know it's not your fault!" Zed said, his voice was slightly braking. I didn't know if it was due to his soulfinder crying or the fact that his twin sister, who I knew he loved, was taken by my shitty family. Probably both.

"It is my fault! It is!" Sky cried even harder at her own words.

"No! It isn't; if it's anyone's fault, it's mine!" I spoke up. "I dragged every single one of you and Zhalia into this mess. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this bloody mess; god dammit, Zhalia wouldn't even be with my family about to get fucking tortured because of me!" My voice rose in frustration. I don't remember getting my hands out of my pockets. I closed my eyes and tried to calm down by trying to take deep breaths as tiny sparks flew out in all different directions from my clenched wrists.

"Jace, it's going to be ok; you need to calm down!" Trace ordered.

"I can't bloody calm down so don't ask me to!" I shouted as a bolt zapped out of my hand but luckily it fell to the ground and sizzled out. However, that didn't stop me. "Try having my powers, having your soulfinder ripped away from you like that by your own family and all because it's your own fault! It's so damn hard!"

Before I could scream in anger and totally loose it, a sudden wave of calmness washed over me. "You need to calm down, Jace. We won't be able to find her if you're like this!" Diamond said calmly. I nodded, breathing heavily.

I stopped walking and leaned over, putting my hands on my knees. I couldn't control my breathing. It grew out of control. Everything seemed slow when I looked at things that were moving. I could feel myself sweating. Zhalia, oh god! What have I done?

"He's having a panic attack!" Xav yelped as he ran towards me. "Jace, you have to listen to me! Everything is going to be ok! Zhalia is strong; she's been through things like this before. She's a Benedict!" He helped me sit down before he turned to someone. "Diamond, a little help?"

He turned back to me. "Jace, you need to calm down. Try to breathe in and out as slowly as you can. Tell me what you'd do when we get her back. How does she make you feel?"

"She's..." I tried to control my breathing to get the words out. "...Perfect! She makes me feel... alive!" My breathing started to slow down but I still struggled. "I'm going to apologize for being... a dick." I didn't care about my choice of words right know infront of Saul and Karla but I could feel the brothers smirking which made me calm down more. "I'll make it up to her, whatever it takes."

"Good! Now focus on what you're going to say to her! Think of every single word! We are definitely going to get her back, right Mum? Zed?" Xav reassured. I looked up at Zed and Karla who both nodded. Karla had tears streaming down her face. After a minute or two, I managed to get my breathing back to normal so I stood up.

"Thanks!" I nodded gratefully to Xav and Diamond who both nodded a 'you're welcome'.

"How often do you get panic attacks?" Xav questioned.

"Not often, this is my second time I remember having one." I replied.

"When was the first?"

"When my mum left with my sisters. I thought dad hit my sisters or something so I panicked." I looked down, slightly embarrassed.

"Everything will be ok, I know it will. Let's go inside." Karla instructed which we all followed.

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><p>We all went to the front room and sat down. We started to lay down what we already knew about my family and all the possibilities of where they could have gone. Crystal tried to use her soulseeking powers on my soulfinder link to find Zhalia's location but it was blocked by Scott's shields which we expected.<p>

"Aren't Zhalia's friends savants? What's Elana's soulfinder called again? Pete? Peter?" Saul asked.

"Parker. Why?" Karla said.

"Parker, that's it!" Saul said smugly as if he remembered himself. Old age was getting to him. "Doesn't he have the power to see what's going on in the present now matter where it is in the world? So he can see what Zhalia is doing now just to be sure she's safe."

"But what about Scott's shields?" I asked, knowing it was pointless.

"We can at least try!" Yves said hopefully.

We all nodded in agreement so Karla phoned Elana's house which luckily Elana picked up. Karla explained the situation as brief as possible over the phone. She paused as she heard Elana's reply. She thanked her before ending the call.

"She's coming with him!" she announced.

We waited for a few minutes before Elana and Parker teleported into the room. I noticed two other new people in the room with them: Cleo and Jeff.

"What are you two doing here?" Uriel questioned.

"Elana told us what happened and we came along to help." Jeff said. Elana looked at me closely with my clenched fists, trying to keep myself in check.

"Do you miss her? Does it hurt?" she asked me. I couldn't tell if she was saying it out of interest and sympathy or if she was just saying it for the sake of saying it.

"More than you could ever know!" I replied painfully. She nodded simply as a reply.

"Parker isn't it? Can you try to see what Zhalia is doing know?" Will asked.

Parker nodded before closing his eyes. He tried to focus but soon he started frowning. He opened his eyes. "I can't see her; something is blocking me from seeing her."

Before anyone else could reply, Elana stood up and said, slightly angry "Parker, could I speak to you please?" He nodded and they both left the room, closing the door behind them.

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><p><span>Elana's POV<span>

We walked out of the room and closed the door behind us. I spun around to face Parker. "Tell me the truth! Are you just saying that you can't see her to keep yourself out of this mess or can't you actually see her? Please tell me, I need to know!" My voice started breaking, I tried to desperately hold back the tears.

"I actually can't Elana. Something's blocking her!" He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close against him. "Don't you believe me?" he whispered onto my forehead.

"I do. It's just that last time I spoke to her, I had a big go at her for being stupid for sticking up for her soulfinder. He's actually really protective of her and I was wrong. Now she's been taken and I didn't even say sorry for being such a bitch!" I broke down crying onto Parker's chest. He put his chin on my head as I carried on "She's one of my best friends, Parker. I can't live without you but I also can't live without her and Cleo. Now Zhalia's been taken and Cleo's pissed! I don't know what to do, I'm such a crappy friend!" I cried.

"Shush, it's ok! We'll find her. I'll keep trying, ok?" He leaned back as he held one of my shoulders, tilted my chin up and tried to look me in the eye. I nodded. He wiped a tear from my face with his thumb before licking it. "Mmm..."

"EWW!" I laughed as I pushed him away. "That's totally gross!"

He laughed in return. He kissed me lightly on the lips before saying "Let's go get yourself washed up!" I nodded in agreement before we went to the toilet to wash my face.

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><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

Elana and Lee came back into the room. Elana looked as if she had been crying but none of us mentioned it. Vick told the four that they weren't allowed to come with us to find Zhalia.

"You have to take us with you!" Cleo demanded.

"No, we don't! We need as minimal people, with the right powers, going in to bust her out. We need to take down the family for good. We're not dragging you four into it!" Vick said before he paused. "What will your parents think?" he said innocently. Way too innocently for Victor Benedict.

"If you haven't noticed, we're already dragged into it. Why do you think we're here? Oh yeah, because you asked us to be! She's like a sister to us so you can just shut up!" Cleo fumed.

"And we can bust her out quicker than you can!" Elana imputed.

"Let me rethink my answer..." Vick tapped his cheek with his finger. Suddenly he stops, leans forward towards them and says "NO! Now go away, we don't need you anymore!" Cora, I think that's what she was called, elbowed him in the guts. "What?! We don't!" Vick tried to defend himself, rubbing his stomach as he looked at Cora upset at the fact that she elbowed him.

"I can see why Zhalia finds you guys sooo annoying!" Cleo muttered as she stood up followed by the rest of Zhalia's friends. They all held on to Elana and they teleported away.

"Way to go Vick, best way to deal with the problem!" Xav said sarcastically.

"They needed to know how it was!" he shrugged. "And who's the boss!"

"You're not the boss around here, I am!" Saul said. His lips raised a little showing a small smile.

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><p>We were discussing a plan when the door bell rang.<p>

_Jace, can you open the door? _A voice asked me telepathically. I recognised the voice instantly. I bolted up and barged past everyone who went to go see who it was. I swung open the door myself, grabbed the person's collar and shoved him against the wall outside.

"What the hell are you doing here? Where's Zhalia?" I growled at Scott.

"I've come to help! I can't carry on with them anymore; I want my own life!" he breathed quietly.

"He's telling the truth!" Sky piped in from behind me. I glared at him for a little longer before sighing and dropping him, trusting her word for it. I ran my hand through my hair frustratedly as I walked back into the house. They all trailed behind back into the front room. I didn't sit down. I rubbed my chin before turning around to face Scott. I breathed out slowly.

"What happened since you all took Zhalia?" I asked.

"How about we see for ourselves?" Uri offered. "I'll do the searching in his head whilst Zed can connect us all up so we can all see what is happening."

"What will you see?" Scott narrowed his eyes at us.

"Hiding something?" I asked suspiciously.

"No, it's just that I don't want all my life to be out for everyone to see!" Scott snapped.

I looked at Sky who nodded back in conformation that he wasn't lying.

"We'll only see what you unlock for me to open." Uri informed.

"Ok. Lets do it." sighed Scott. "Saves me from all the talking!" We all held hands (not in the wrong way) and closed our eyes...

…

After watching what happened on the helicopter, the introduction to the new room, and the fight between Scott and Jason, we saw Scott storm out of the house and persuade the pilot to take him back here.

"Why didn't you bring Zhalia with you, idiot?!" I screamed at Scott after we finished.

"Because everyone would notice her just walking out. Your dad gave us strict orders that only he lets her out! And besides, she is the reason why we all have to go back, get her and bring down the family for good!" he defended himself.

"He's right!" Trace agreed with Scott.

"Ok, people! We have a better chance now at finding Zhalia, now that she isn't being blocked. We also have more protection with Scott on our side. Let's get cracking on a plan." Saul instructed like how a boss should as he rubbed his hand together.

"Let's go kick some ass!" Zed whooped.

"Zed Benedict! Language!" Karla told Zed who just gave her puppy eyes. She shook her head with a disapproving look.

"Yeah, while I stand in the sidelines waiting for the action to come to me! Actually, the action might have finished by the time it comes to me!" Xav sulked.

"Well, you should have amazing future seeing powers like me- and then maybe you could have kicked some ass too!" said Zed smugly.

"If I remember correctly 1) You complain about your powers being 'too much' sometimes. And 2) Xav has healed Sky more times than just once. Where would you be without Xav?" Crystal questioned, defending Xav which apparently doesn't happen much.

"Sky would have healed slowly herself!" Zed shrugged, hiding his defeat.

"Yeah! While you cry on your knees because she has a small scratch!" snorted Xav. He turned to Crystal and ruffled her hair, causing her to hit his hand away. "And what would I do without you, Cupcake?"

"Not much, Androcles!" Crystal playfully shoved him.

"I don't cry!" Zed moaned. "Tell them Sky!"

"Is that a tear I can see, Zed Benedict?! Quick, get a camera! The town's bad boy is shedding some rare tears!" Sky laughed with everyone smirking and grinning too. Zed crossed his arms in a 'humph'.

"Can we get back on with the plan please?!" I said irritated. I missed her. The times when we laughed in the woods, when we messed around, when we kissed. I need her back! I need her back...

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Let's hit 160+ reviews with this chapter. Pretty please?!<strong>


	21. Chapter 20

**Author's note: MISTY FALLS IS OUT; I have read it and IT IS SOOOOO GOOD! :-D**

**Who else has read it?! DESPITE IT BEING A REALLY GOOD BOOK, I have decided that the plot line in Misty falls will not be involved with this story in anyway like the first three books because it will be complicated with the name changes (ie the name of the brother that finds his soulfinder which I'm not telling: spoilers!) ect.  
><strong>

**Well anyways, here's the next chapter...**

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><p><span>Chapter 20<span>

Zhalia's POV

I lay down on the metal bed with nothing to do but just constantly re-plaiting my hair and thinking about everything that's happened so far. I didn't know who long we've been here for, I lost count after three hours. I didn't even know what time of day it is. The door suddenly swung open to reveal John with a tray and Jason standing behind him.

"You guys have knocking issues!" I muttered as I sat up on the bed, narrowing my eyes at them.

"Keep up with that mouth of yours and everything will go down the shit hole for you!" John snapped.

"Yeah, cuz this is isn't down the shit hole already!" I said sarcastically. John looked like he was using up all his self control not to attack me. He placed the tray on my bed next to me. It had a bowl filled with cereal and milk. I may not know what the time is but why the fuck were they giving me cereal? Then I realised what it was: Crunchy Nut. I looked up and glared at John and Jason. "You gave that cereal on purpose, knowing I can't have peanuts and any time of nuts because I'm allergic!" I growled at them which they just stared at me back. From the corner of my eye, I could see Jason slightly smirking as he crossed his arms. Stupid bastard. "I wouldn't be surprised if this was almond milk as well!"

"It's the only food you're going get." John informed- looks like I was going starve. He turned to face Jason, "Where did Scott bugger off too? He's been gone for more than three and a half hours!"

So he was the one that stormed out, not Jason- never thought it would be Scott.

"How am I supposed to know; she saw him last." Jason pointed at me.

"Don't look at me! He didn't say anything." I held my hands up in defence.

"Hmmm... stay in here with her and stop her doing things that could mess up everything. We can't let her mess around, not when we've come this far!" John commanded Jason who nodded in response. What was I going to do anyway? John left the room, leaving me with the grinning master of illusions.

It must have been dark outside now. It being summer, if it's dark then it must be really late. He sat in the chair in the corner of the room that was angled facing me as I sat on the metal bed. The once full tray of food was now empty next to him. He ate it all; not like I was going to eat it anyways. Is he going watch me all night? Whilst keeping an eye on me, he had a ball that he kept bouncing and catching again and a again and-

"Ok that's it, I'm bored shitless babysitting you; you're sooo boring! Let's have some fun!" he said suddenly as he stood up. He dropped the ball which bounced away from him and stopped near the other side of the room. I was getting bored too, and creeped out by him staring at me for what seemed like forever. I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering what his mind thought the word 'fun' meant. Slowly, very slowly he walked towards me, staring right into my eyes. I gulped as I shifted on the bed so my back hit the wall. The scenery changed around us and I wasn't sitting on the metal bed anymore.

"Nice house!" he commented, grinning. We were in my house, the front room to be exact. I was sitting on the sofa with Jason standing in front of me. The door leading to this room swung open, revealing a swarm of people entering the room: my family. They were all laughing, eating, drinking. They didn't seem to realise we were here.

"They seem happy. Happy at the fact that you're not with them!" he taunted. I mustn't fall for his illusions! I thought but it didn't stop the fact that tears were trickling down my face. What was worse was that Jace was in the room as well. I felt like I was in one of those films where you see the person you care about laughing and having a good time but kind of in slow motion to rub it in your face that you're not there, making it hurt more. I stood up, still looking at them.

"Why?" I let out a sob as I turned to Jason who was now next to me. "How is this fun?"

"Having a change of scenery with someone in pain is entertaining!" he defended himself.

"You're a sick, cruel man!" I spat.

"Such nice, touching words; thank you, thank you very much!" he mockingly bowed. As he straightened, he looked right into my eyes again, making me feel sick with worry for what he might do next.

"I can't believe I loved Zhalia!" I voice I recognised easily said. Turning, I managed to see the last few words coming out of Jace's mouth. "I mean, what is there to love about her?" This caused my family to laugh, agreeing with him. I closed my eyes, trying to control my anger that was aimed at Jason. I've heard words similar to that from the man himself, not some fake illusions. Suddenly, I was shoved against the wall as I felt a cold, sharp blade against my jaw.

"Open your eyes; look at them!" Jason said sharply against my ear. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes but I just stared at Jason.

"This blade is probably an illusion too, isn't it? You couldn't kill me before, you won't be able to do it know!" I hissed.

"Oh, this blade is real. Before, I was interrupted. Now, there is no one but you and me." he grinned evilly.

"How about the camera? Whoever's watching might not see the illusions but they will see you pinning me against the wall with a damn blade; am I right?"

He took in a sharp breath before replying "John wouldn't mind if I tortured you a bit. I mean, you're here to make people suffer; so why not cause more suffering by torturing you?"

"Then what are you god damn waiting for? You're just delaying the action so something will come up, just like how Scott did, to give you an excuse not to do it!" I then whispered "you're just a pussy!"

That ticked him off as he scrapped the blade against my jaw causing the skin to cut and blood pour out. He stepped back, letting me go as the illusions around us faded back into my prison cell room. The pain coursed around the area of the cut. Blood dripped down my clothes and onto the floor. I grabbed the blanket on the bed and pressed it against the cut.

"Am I a pussy now?" he growled. He grabbed the ball, sat down and started bouncing it again. I just glared at him as I laid down, putting pressure on the cut. God I have a feeling I'm going to die here because of loss of blood. It's not like they're going to give me medical attention!

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><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

Boston: that's where we're headed. It was eight o'clock at night in Colorado so it was ten there. Whilst we were planning, Victor and Trace pulled some strings on their contacts and managed to get more helicopters to accommodate the whole Benedict family. Despite not everyone going in to do the rescuing, the ones that didn't wanted to be close in case anything happened. Victor and Trace managed to get some field agents, who were also savants, from the FBI and the Boston police to help with bringing my family down. We didn't bother going in the morning; it could be more risky leaving the rescuing for so long. Me and the Benedicts boarded the helicopters before it took off, waiting impatiently to get to Boston to put the plan into action.

Scott guided the pilots to the building where John and Jason were and keeping Zhalia captive. We could see the FBI agents and police near by, waiting for us. They took their positions as we came out of the helicopters. The people going in were me, Saul, Trace, Vick, Scott, Ida, some of the FBI agents and the police. Uriel put up a fight for letting Ida go in but lost because we needed her powers of shape shifting. She could impostor John or someone to get people to follow her orders; there were other sick people in the building that helped my uncle. Uriel only let her go in if she stayed near his family or any one of the good guys that can protect her. The others, especially Xav, that weren't going stayed outside but close enough, to help if needed with some other agents and police.

On the count of three, we go in. Saul instructed telepathically to those going in. _One. Two. THREE!_

"FBI! The police! Nobody move!" they ordered as they aimed their guns at the people in the building. They all froze, confused as hell to what was going on. Scott put a shield around us to protect us from any powers or objects that could hurt. He also put a shield around the people on this floor so they couldn't communicate with others around the building. Saul, Trace, Vick, Scott and Ida had guns as well. Uriel insisted she had a gun to make him a little more at ease of her going in. I didn't bother having one due to my powers. As everyone else dealt with as many people as they could, I looked around for any security cameras so whoever was watching would find out a bit later about what was going on. Finding some, I used my powers to fry the circuits so they dropped to face the ground. One of the things my dad taught me when I was with him: fry the cameras so we don't get caught. I guess some of the things he taught wasn't a complete and total waste...

_Jace, if they've kept Zhalia where she was from when I last was here, she should be on the first floor, down the corridor and the last door on the right. _Scott informed. I nodded thankfully. Knowing where he meant as I remembered from when I last was here before we went to Colorado, I ran towards the room. Ida, Vick and some agents followed.

When we reached the room, I literately had to stop myself from going in first: I had to follow the plan in case anyone was in there with her. I looked at Ida. She nodded before she shifted right before my eyes into John. I gaped at her as I've never seen someone do that. It looked kind of weird. Noticing me staring, Ida/John smiled before going into the room.

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><p><span>Zhalia's POV<span>

My jaw still throbbed with pain. The blanket was covered in blood. I struggled to fight against going unconscious but it was difficult. Jason was still in the corner of the room, bouncing the ball and looking bored as ever. I couldn't tell the difference between the sound of the ball bouncing and my pulse thumping. Suddenly, I heard shouting coming from downstairs. Jason perked up, confused to what the noise was. I knew he wanted to go see what it was but he was so eager to please and listen to John that he stayed. After a few minutes, the door swung open to reveal John.

"John, what's going on?! What's happening downstairs?" Jason leaped up from the chair, letting the ball roll away again.

"We're under attack; the Benedicts are here! Go help downstairs." he ordered.

"But what about Zhalia?" he questioned.

"I'll escort her out! I can't let the Benedicts get their hands on her!"

Jason nodded before leaving the room. The second he left, I heard a yell that sounded like him. What the fuck was going on? Were my family really here? I looked at John; if I went with him, it will be harder to get back to my family. He stared at me with his mouth hanging open. I looked at him, confused. He suddenly physically changed to Ida. Oh my god!

She rushed towards me, helping me off the bed. "Zhalia, what happened to you?" As I stood up, I felt a wave of dizziness hit me due to the loss of blood. I squeezed my eyes shut hoping it would go away. "It's ok, we're here now!" Ida said gently. The dizziness went away so I opened my eyes. We walked out the room with me still holding the blanket against my jaw. I saw Jason on the floor unconscious with someone over him, handcuffing him. I noticed 'FBI' written on the back of the man. I looked up to see Victor and Jace looking at me with the same expressions as when Ida saw me. Did I really look that bad? Jace was looking me straight in the eye causing me to gulp.

"We have to get you to Xav!" he broke out of the stare and whispered. The agents dragged Jason away whilst we went downstairs.

"Nothing else hurt other than your jaw?" Vick asked. I shook my head. "Come here!" Vick sighed with relief as he hugged me, not caring about the blood. This was a side he never showed to me before as far as I remember but I'm not complaining . I was too weak to fight against him, plus it felt weird but in a nice way to have one of my brothers hug me. It felt more special that it was Victor hugging me first out of all of them due to his serious personality.

Ida was near me in case my body decided to pass out as we made our way to the exit of the building. I could feel someone's eyes, other than Ida, staring intently at me. Looking up, I caught Jace looking at me with worry. Embarrassed, I looked away.

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><p>As we made it downstairs, we saw the real John backed up against the wall and surrounded by my dad, Trace, Scott, the police and the FBI.<p>

"You ungrateful traitor! You son of a bitch!" John cursed at Scott who didn't seem affected by his words. We joined the group surrounding John.

"Zhalia!" Dad said as he came over and pulled me into a hug, ignoring the blood getting on his shirt. He let me go but he put his hands on my shoulders and said "what happened?" referring to my cut.

"Jason cut me with a blade." I sighed.

"Go get her to Xav. She looks like she's lost enough blood." Saul told Ida who nodded.

"You promised you will stay with me!" John yelled at me.

"No, I promised I'll come. I never promised I'll stay!" I said, smiling as I remembered Xav doing that to me. I sent the scene to him telepathically. He didn't need to reply. I knew he was smiling from his end that I was using his annoying habits. I was about to go when I caught John eyeing a gun on the floor near him. Dropping the blanket, I lunged for the gun and grabbed it before he could reach it. I aimed at him, shaking.

"Zhalia, put the gun down!" my dad said from behind me but I ignored him.

"Hahaha! Yes Zhalia, put in down!" John mocked. "We don't want anyone getting hurt!"

I growled at him. Shaking, I pulled the trigger... But it never hit him. He opened his eyes that he closed because of the bullet sound. He looked at everyone, bewildered. I walked up to him. "I made the bullet phase right through your head and into the wall. I'm not a murderer like you!" With that I walked towards the door, grabbing the blanket along the way as the police handcuffed John.

My head started spinning, hurting, pounding before I reached the door. I stumbled forward. I managed to put my hand against the wall as I tried to steady myself. I found it hard to breath. I tried to take deep breaths but I just couldn't get enough oxygen into my lungs. I could hear voices calling my name but I didn't look up. After a few seconds I couldn't make out their calls; it sounded distant, blurred if that makes sense. My legs couldn't keep me up so it gave way and I was falling. However, the floor never came. Instead I felt arms underneath my back and a slight bump which could be someone's knees. My eye lids started to drop- I tried to keep it open but it was falling. Soon I felt hot breath whisper against my ear "I caught you this time...". Jace. I couldn't bring myself to reply. I was falling; everything was a blur; I couldn't focus on what people were saying. It felt like I was dying, the pain. Maybe I was dying; I slowly closed my eyes.

Falling...

Falling...

Falling...

Fallen...

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Don't forget to review, pretty please with a cherry in top!? Won't take that long!<strong>


	22. Chapter 21

**Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews. Just to warn you that my spell check is playing up so sorry for weird spellings that I obviously haven't noticed! Anyways, here's the next chapter (it's kind of more of a family/sibling bonding chapter but it has got other scenes)...**

**(PS: Important voting thing at the end!)**

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><p><span>Chapter 21<span>

Jace's POV

I stared at Zhalia as she started to make her way out of the building. I followed her and Ida out at a reasonable distance behind them. I frowned when Zhalia stopped near the door and leaned against the wall. She hunched forwards as she put her hands on her knees, trying to take deep breaths. "Zhalia? Are you ok?" we all started to ask her. Suddenly, she started to fall back. I lunged forward and caught her before she hit the floor. I leaned forward, our cheeks touching which sent shivers down my spine, and I whispered in her ear "I caught you this time!" I leaned back a bit to find her eyes closed. The blood started to dry around her face but it was still bleeding a bit. I didn't care about Zhalia's blood getting all over me. I put two fingers under her jaw on her neck, trying to find her pulse. Xav and the rest of the family that were waiting outside came bustling in as John was taken outside. Xav came and kneeled down on the other side of Zhalia and started to heel her jaw. "I can't find her pulse!" I whispered before saying it louder, "I can't finder her pulse! WHY CAN'T I FIND HER PULSE?"

"Calm down, Jace-" Xav started to say but the look on his face, which he was failing to hide, showed that he was also worried.

I interrupted him, growling "why the hell can't I find her pulse?" Xav moved my hand away from her neck and placed his own two fingers on her neck. I waited patiently as he searched. He finally let his hand slip away from her neck, grabbed my hand and placed my fingers where his were.

"There," he said softly to me, "it's faint but it's still there!" I sighed with relief. Xav said "We have to get her to a hospital; I'll do what I can on the way there." I carried her bridal style, but with her limp in my arms, outside and into an ambulance. I ignored all the sounds of people crying and John shouting and just focused on her...

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><p><span>Zhalia's POV<span>

_Beep! Beep! Beep! _ What is that sound? I groaned, slightly moving. I felt groggy. What happened, where was I? Slowly it all came back to me; I lifted my arm and felt my jaw to find the feeling of stitches. I could feel something pulling on my arm as I felt the stitches. Putting my arm down, I gradually opened my eyes to reveal a hospital room with me lying on the bed. I looked down and took myself in. Tubes were jabbed into my arms, making me cringe. I wore white, hospital clothes. I turned my head towards the machine next to me to see the machine that showed my heart beat. I noticed something slightly moving next to the machine. I found Jace sleeping in an awkward position on a chair. He had bags under his eyes as if he hasn't slept in days.

"Vick got Jace and Xav to finally sleep." a voice came from my left. I turned to face towards the voice to find Crystal holding a trashy magazine sitting on Xav's lap who was also sleeping on an armchair. He had his hands wrapped loosely around her waist.

"How long have I been out?" I questioned my voice croaky but I ignored it.

"About two days, we're still in Boston. We all had to stay in a hotel and buy some spare clothes." she said. "Jace hasn't slept at all as he was so worried about you and Xav was busy trying to heal you so he hasn't slept much either." she shrugged. "I guess when Vick had to use his persuasion powers on them, their minds were too tired to fight back."

"Where's everyone else?" I asked.

"They've gone to get some food. I volunteered to stay here if you decided to wake up." I looked back at Jace and sighed. "He loves you more than you think!" Crystal said softly. Before I could reply, a stampede of people came bursting into the room. Shouts of "that's my burger, idiot!", "who wanted a chicken wrap?" and "where are my fries?" amongst other stuff came from my family. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole hospital could hear them. The shouts produced from my family managed to wake up Xav and Jace who both groaned at the amount of noise.

"Five more minutes!" muttered Xav, unaware of everything as his eyes were still closed and his hold on Crystal tightened.

"We have McDonald's!" announced Zed which woke Xav up fully.

"Uh, guys? Zhalia's awake!" Crystal said, pointing at me. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at me.

"Zhalia!" Mum squealed, running over to me crying. She helped me sit up before wrapping her hands around me, pulling me into a tight hug. "Mi niña!"** (AN: It's meant to say 'my baby girl in Spanish' I used google translate! Sorry if it's wrong, please don't kill me!)** she whispered into my ear, raking her fingers through my notted hair. She pulled back and looked straight into my eyes with a stern look. A look that I know means that I'm in big shit. "Zhalia Rose Benedict, you are grounded!"

My jaw dropped "what?! That's not fair, I didn't do anything!"

"Going with the bad guys like the way you did to 'save us' was stupid Zhalia! There were other ways. We're Benedicts!" she said, standing her ground.

"I think I'll leave you guys alone to talk!" Jace got up abruptly and hurried out the door, closing the door quite loudly behind him. I stared at the door and took a deep breath.

"I'll go speak to him." came a voice behind my family: Scott. I didn't realise he was in the room, he was so quite. He walked out the room but instead of like Jace, he quietly shut the door behind him.

"Don't you guys have something to say to Zhalia?" Diamond asked my brothers.

"Yeah, ummm..." Will started to say but trailed off as he rubbed the back of his neck. It was followed by an awkward silence.

"Well? I'm waiting!" I said.

"We wanted to say sorry." Yves started to say.

"Sorry for being dickheads!" Zed said.

"Ze-" Mum started to say but was interupted by Xav.

"Mum, please! Please just let us this once to use at least some reasonable words whilst we do this. Please?" She stared hard and longingly at the boys before nodding.

"You're our only sister and you've helped us with our soulfinders and we took it for granted." Uriel said.

"You've saved our ass from flying bullets countless of times." Trace sighed.

"You were right: we are crap brothers! We treated you like rubbish when we should have been there sticking up for you like older brothers should." Victor imputed.

"We were never realised how lucky we are to have a sister like you." Xavier said, rubbing his temples.

They all paused, unsure of what to say next.

I was gobsmaked of what just came out of their mouths. "Who are you and what have you done with my brothers?" I frowned with a smile.

Trace narrowed his eyes at me and said "don't push it, Zhalia!"

"It's true, Zhalia. It's just it took this long to realise it!" Will said as he started to eat his fries.

I smiled at them. "I guess you guys were there for me. Like now when I was with John and the family, you came and helped save me. Xav helped me on the healing side."

"Favourite brother right here!" Xav pointed at himself with a smug look on his face causing everyone to laugh and some of my brothers to say "as if"!

He caught me raising an eyebrow at him. "What?!" he said, sounding offended. He wiggled his eyebrows as he said "I am the best looking!" causing everyone to laugh.

Esme snorted "That's debatable!"

"I'm wounded by your words, Esme!" Xav dramatically said as he crossed his arms on his chest. Will nuzzled his face in her hair, smiling proudly at her, as he pulled her closer to him. A pang of jealously ran through but I tried to put a happy face on.

Sky must have noticed my colours as she pulled away. "How about the presents?" she said excitedly.

I raised an eyebrow "what presents? It's not someone's birthday is it?"

"Haha, no! The boys decided to give you something to say thank you and in makeup of all those birthdays and other celebration presents that they didn't get you." Mum explained.

"Oh!" was all I could say: wasn't expecting that.

"We didn't get much as we didn't have much time and plus we don't know much of the good shops here." Zed said.

Uriel got a little bag from the small table at the end of the room. He came over to the side of the bed and handed it to me. "From all of us." he said. Taking the bag, I pulled out the thing I got my hand on first: a 'thank you' card. I opened it to find individual messages from each of my brothers. I smiled as I read it before I got the next present out. Two Galaxy cookie crumbles all for me (hopefully). I could feel my mouth drool already. I pulled out the last present to find a small box. Curious, I opened it to find a heart-shaped locket inside it. I could feel a lump form in my throat as I read the words on the locket: 'The Best Sister Always...' I opened the locket to see a picture of me from when it was mine and Zed's 17'th birthday.

"Thank you!" I whispered. Dad came over and helped me put it on before kissing my forehead. "You know," I said teasingly. "I'm the only sister you have!"

"Then you know you have no-one to compete with!" Yves smiled.

"Now we're done with the sappy stuff, let's have some food!" Vick said quickly. We all rolled our eyes as we all got our foods: Victor was never good with these types things but that hug showed he did care. I smiled warmly at them.

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><p>After two days of being cooped up and not seeing much of Jace, I was discharged from hospital. We all managed to book last minute flights for all nineteen of us (including Jace and Scott) to get back to Colorado. We didn't bother getting helicopters as there was really no need for private hire now. On the plane every now and then, I glanced up at Jace. Sometimes I would catch him he just day-dreaming out the window, but sometimes I would catch him staring at me.<p>

_She's so god damn beautiful! _A voice drifted into my head. I looked up at Jace to find him staring at me again. Was that him? He must have realised that he wasn't shielding his thoughts and that it leaked into my head as he went red and quickly looked away, throwing his shields up.

_He loves you, you should make up with him soon..._ Sky whispered in my mind. She must have read our emotions.

_I just don't know how!_ I sighed back. I shut off the conversation, feeling uncomfortable talking about it. If we are meant to get back together then so be it but if it's not, then so bring on the rest of the misery of being the only one without a soulfinder.

We drove from the airport all the way to our house. Waiting at our driveway were Cleo, Jeff, Elana and Parker. I turned to face Mum who luckily happened to be in the same car as me "I'm going on a walk, I need to speak to them" I nodded towards my friends.

"Ok." she said before adding "They've been worried about you!" The second I got out the car, Cleo and Elana came bouncing towards me and gave a big hug, nearly knocking me over.

"I'm so glad you're fine!" Cleo said as her, Jeff, Parker, Elana and me started to head to the park. "Let me see that scar of yours!" I tilted my face towards them so they could see the scar. The stitches have gone but the cut had left a scar on my jaw. They gasped as they say it.

"I'm so sorry, Zhalia!" Elana started crying. The boys excused themselves, letting us have a moment. Elana kept on crying "I was wrong about Jace: he isn't a dickhead! You're lucky to have him, he's cares about you a lot! I'm sorry, I'm such a shit friend!"

"Hey, no your not! You're one of my best friends! I forgive you." I placed my arms on her shoulders.

She looked up at me, tears in her eyes. "Really?"

"Really." I confirmed before pulling her into a hug. I extended my arm to Cleo, inviting her to a hug as well which she happily complied.

"You know what? The scar makes you look more bad-ass!" Cleo grinned.

Two relationships mended one more still broken...

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Psssssssssssst! You see that review box below? It's made so you can give your reviews on the story ;-) Please leave a review and I will be forever grateful!<strong>


	23. Chapter 22

**Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews and for all the really good song suggestions. I decided that the song I chose will feature in the next chapter, which I am in the proccess of writing, instead of this one.**

**Only few more chapters to go! :'(**

**Here's the next one...**

**(SORRY BUT THIS IS MAINLY A FILLER CHAPTER!)**

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><p><span>Chapter 22<span>

Zhalia's POV

5:30 in the morning and I couldn't get back to sleep as I tossed and turned hopelessly. We all had a late night in yesterday, the day that we arrived back home from Boston. I returned home late last night after spending the time after we got back with Cleo and Elana. I groaned with tiredness. I looked over my bed to see the girls, that weren't married to my brothers yet, sleeping on the floor. Ida, Cora, Esme, Sky: they all looked so peac- wait, where the hell was Crystal? Xav was going kill me for letting her get kidnapped! I was about to fling my duvet covers off me but then it dawned on me: she sneaked off to sleep with Xav again. I sighed, rolling my eyes, as I flopped back into bed, covering myself.

Jace... Thoughts of him kept wafting into my head. When we came to Colorado, both Scott and Jace went to get some clothes and essentials they needed from their house here which was just left how it was when everyone left for Boston. Mum wouldn't let them stay in that house on their own so she made them stay here which they thankfully agreed. Both ended up sleeping in Zed's room as well. How both of them can sleep in there with Zed being a heavy snorer was beyond me. To be honest, all my brothers were heavy snorers which I found out when I played pranks on them. My mind drifted back to Jace. He was all I could think about. Argh! I need to clear my head. Where did we both stand with each other right now? I got out of bed, phasing through the girls so I didn't disturb them (or they would all literally kill me) as I grab some clothes and went into my en-suite to get changed and brush my teeth.

Once I was done, I grabbed my phone and I phased through the floor to get downstairs. I made my way down quietly to the kitchen to get something to eat before heading out. I didn't bother turning on the light as I went straight to the fridge and poked my head in to see what there was. Suddenly, the lights flickered on and a deep voice came from the door. "Freeze! Step away from the fridge with your hands empty in the air!" I sighed, I knew that voice. I didn't have to look past the fridge door to look and see who it was.

"It's me, Trace!" I huffed as I stood up properly so he could see my face. He sighed with relief as he went over to the sink and filled a glass with water, dropping his gun on the table along the way.

"What the hell are you doing awake?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." I said as I poured myself some orange juice.

"Diamond's hungry. She wants chocolate with peanut butter, oranges and water."

"Hungry this time in the morning? No offence but couldn't she get the food herself?" I paused, trying to process the food combination she wanted in my head. "Peanut butter, oranges and chocolate?"

Trace looked at me intensely as he sat down. He looked as if he was deciding on telling me a great law secret which he shouldn't tell anybody. He closed his eyes and sighed as he placed his hand on his forehead and revealed "Diamond's pregnant." I choked on my drink causing me to spit it out, luckily in the sink.

I was so shocked that I stared at him blankly with my mouth hanging open. I was going to be an aunt! I was finally going to be an aunt! That baby better be a girl, I can't deal with a curse of boys all my life! Then a grim thought came into my head: Trace and Diamond had- no I can't say it! Ewwwwww, I had to get that thought out of my head! I quickly put my shields up so Trace wouldn't hear my thoughts.

"Zhalia?" Trace said wearily, wondering if he regretted telling me.

"Congratulations!" I smiled, breaking out of the thought but it still lingered at the back of my head. I can't think about it or I won't be able to look at them again. "Who else knows and how far along is she?"

"Two months. Only you, Xav and Crystal. Xav only knows so he can help when needed. Crystal knows cause, well, Xav knows and he had to tell at least one person!" he shook his head, smiling. "At least it was her instead of anyone else."

"You mean Mum doesn't know yet?" I grinned at him. "Mum's going to go ape-shit when she finds out that we, especially Xav, found out before she did." Me and my brothers swore in front of each other all the time but when it was in front of our parents, we tried to be as innocent as possible. "Do you think she's foreseen it yet?"

"She hasn't mentioned anything yet." Trace looked scared. When Mum gets really mad, it's not a pretty sight even if you are a 29 year old, future parent yourself.

"Maybe she's waiting for you guys to mention it and then go all ape-shit with all the 'I can't believe you couldn't trust your own mother' speech she normally does! She'll probably hit you with something too!" I couldn't help but tease him.

"Oh God! I fucking hope not!" he groaned. He grabbed some peanut butter and chocolate from the cupboard, an orange, a butter knife, the glass of water and his gun before slowly making his way to the door, trying to balance it all. "Diamond's hungry." he said. She probably just asked where he was telepathically.

"I can't believe she's getting cravings already! And weird ones too!" I shook me head, smiling.

"Tell me about it!" he grumbled. He paused at the door and turned to face me, narrowing his eyes. "You still haven't told me what you're doing up so early in the morning!"

"I can't sleep; I might go out for a walk."

"This early in the morning? Are you insane?"

"I need to get my head straight, Trace. I need to sort my life out! Please?"

"Ok but be careful." he agreed after debating with himself internely about letting me go. I nodded greatfully before he made his way upstairs. I grabbed some biscuits and some money, just incase, as I headed outside. Remembering the force field, I phased underground and appeared on the other side like before. I then just let my legs take me to wherever they wanted as I had the biscuits.

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><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

I laid on the floor with Scott in Zed's room with one hand behind my head and the other on my stomach. I stared at the ceiling. Scott and Zed were sound asleep. Zed's snoring wasn't the reason why I couldn't sleep even though it was loud! Zhalia... I need her to be mine again, for her to be in my arms. But how was I going to do that? She doesn't trust me anymore. I looked at the time to see it was 6 in the morning. I left the room as quietly as I could as I made my way to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face before I looked at myself in the mirror. Circles were under my eyes: god, I looked like a mess! I started to sort myself out as I got changed and brushed my teeth.

After I finished, I made my way back to Zed's room. However, a few minutes after I went back in, there was a loud knock on the door with a voice calling "Zed! Open up- it's urgent" I recognised the voice to belong to Sky. I looked at Zed who rolled to his other side, groaning Sky's name as he cuddled up with a cushion, most likely thinking it's Sky.

Scott woke up with all the banging as he groaned "what the hell is going on?"

Zed still hadn't noticed all the banging so I went over to him, grabbed the pillow he was hugging out of his grasp and whacked him with it.

"What- I'm awake! I'm awake!" he jumped up. He heard Sky and went over to open the door, rubbing his tired eyes. "What's up?" he asked her, yawning. Me and Scott went to go see what was going on. The rest of the girls that were also staying in Zhalia's room were also out, banging on the doors of their soulfinders.

Soon everyone came out of the rooms to see what all the banging was about. Crystal quickly tried to come out of Xav's room unnoticed. I rolled my eyes at her failed attempt as Karla glared at Xav who was whistling innocently.

"Zhalia's gone!" Cora said.

"What do you mean she's gone?" I turned to question her, my voice rising.

Before the girls could answer, Trace butted in. "She went for a walk. She said she needed to sort her head out."

"And you let her out alone like that?" I growled.

"She needed to sort her head out. Why don't you go after her and sort things out between you two?" Trace said.

"You should go after her. You mopping around is starting to piss me off!" Scott grinned as he patted my back.

"Ok, fine!" I glared at him.

"Do you want me to find her for you?" Crystal asked, hinting about her soulseeking powers.

"No thanks. I have a good feeling I know where she is!" I said, heading downstairs before grabbing my shoes and going outside.

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><p><strong>Author's note: You know what to do now: review, fav and follow if you want the last few chapters! ;-) Let's see how many reviews this chapter can get!<strong>


	24. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: Only two reviews on the last chapter?!**

**To the guest reviewer: around 4 chapters left, maybe. Make sure you review though as you read each chapter! ;-)**

**Hope this one gets more reviews: I've tried to make it longer for those who did review...**

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><p><span>Chapter 23<span>

Jace's POV

I was right when I said I knew where to find her, in the place where we always used to hang out: the clearing in the woods. She hadn't noticed me yet as she was dancing to some songs on her phone. I recognised the song and dance: it's the street dance/hip-hop routine we did before doing that off-dance lesson where we both danced together. I just started at her, not wanting to ruin the moment. I could tell the moves were forced instead of it coming naturally to her like I know it did- I've danced with her for God's sake! Every now and again, she would stop and sing, kicking some stones whilst she did. She said she sang with her mother. Sometimes her mother would get them to sing Spanish songs, not just English songs. Zhalia was good, her voice was soothing, calming even. It would have calmed my nerves if it wasn't for the fact that I was about to make up to her and I didn't know how it would turn out. After singing along with the songs for a bit, she would go back to forcing the dance moves out of her. I could tell she was angry, hurt and upset and was trying to take it all out on her dancing. I knew the negative emotions were aimed at me.

_You need to make the moves less forced, let it come naturally to you like it normally does..._ I telepathically said to her, making my existence known as she spun around to face me in surprise.

She quickly stopped the music on her phone before looking at me. Her eyes had mixed emotions portrayed in them, only a few I could name: confused, sadness, pain. I took a deep breath before walking towards her slowly. Every step I took closer towards her, she went one step back until she finally backed up against the tree. She looked scared. She was starting to phase through the tree to get away from me but I immediately lunged at her and grabbed her wrists before she could fully escape; I knew she wouldn't be able to phase through my grip. I dragged her out of the tree, pulled her against my chest and held her there tightly.

"Jace, please let go of me!" she whimpered into my chest.

"No! Not again." I growled softly before whispering the same words again into her ear "not again!"

I nuzzled my face into her neck as I took a sharp breath in, breathing her in. A smell that I have missed. A smell that made me feel my heart was at home. "I'm sorry!" I carried on whispering. "So sorry for the pain that I've caused you. I know you hate me. God, I even hate myself!"

Zhalia struggled in my arms to break free. "Jace, I can't do this again: I don't want to get hurt anymore! You said that you didn't love me anymore. I can't let you drop me again like how you did!" she whimpered.

_I'm sorry! _ I kept repeating telepathically to her, tears forming in my eyes which made her neck damp. I pulled back to look her straight in the eye but I never let go of her. "I love you Zhalia! I've always loved you even when I said I didn't! Do you know how much it fucking hurt saying I didn't?"

"Then why the hell did you?!" she shouted in my face causing me to flinch, loosening my grip on her. She managed to break free from me. "You know it hurt me like hell!"

"Because I thought my family would leave you alone! It was all going fine until you gave yourself up!" I raised my voice back at her. I raked my hand through my hair in frustration.

"Well, everything did turn out to be just fine!" she huffed, eyebrows creasing together in anger. Damn she looked so sexy when she was angry like that.

_Not the right time to think that! _She snapped as her voice came into my my head. Shit, were my shields down? I blushed and threw them up.

"Yeah, everything turned out just fine!" I said sarcastically, quickly recovering. "1) you have a bloody scar on your face because I couldn't come in time to save you. 2) Me and Scott have no-where to bloody live! We can't stay at your house forever with us being like they way we are. That leads to my next point, 3): you and I are acting as if not being together is not affecting us at all! I don't know about you, but it's sure as hell bothering me!" Closing my eyes, I took a sharp breath in as I tried to calm myself. Sparks started to sizzle out of my clenched fists: this is why I need her back with me, in my arms. She's my anchor, the reason why my powers won't get out of hand. "So tell me, tell me how everything is fine!" I seethed, jaw tense, body shaking.

"I-I..." she trailed off, her voice shaking.

"I need you!" I whispered. I looked up into her eyes, both of us having tears fill them up, before whispering it again. "I need you, even if you don't need me!"

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><p>I grabbed my phone from my pocket and went on YouTube. I selected the song I wanted and started to play it. I really hope she knew the song so she could sing along with the girl's part of the song. I started to make my way towards her again but this time she didn't back away. I stood directly in front of her. However, I kept my hands to myself. As soon as the guy's words started, I started to sing along:<p>

_You and I,_

_We're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky._

_With you, I'm alive_

_Like all the missing pieces of my heart, they finally collide._

_So stop time right here in the moonlight,_

_Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes._

I lifted my hand and placed it against her cheek. I started rubbing her cheek with my thumb causing her to shiver in my touch. She smiled weakly, closed her eyes and lent her face more into my caressing hand. I smiled and carried on singing.

_Without you, I feel broke._

_Like I'm half of a whole._

_Without you, I've got no hand to hold._

_Without you, I feel torn._

_Like a sail in a storm._

_Without you, I'm just a sad song._

_I'm just a sad song._

I sighed with relief when she started to sing the girl's words. I grabbed one of her hands and started twirling her around. Slowly though, as I didn't want her to stop singing due to breathlessness. My heart felt like it was going to burst with happiness! Her voice was so god damn beautiful; it was nearly as good as her dancing!

_With you I fall._

_It's like I'm leaving all my past in silhouettes up on the wall._

_With you I'm a beautiful mess._

_It's like we're standing hand in hand with all our fears up on the edge._

_So stop time right here in the moonlight,_

_Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes._

_Without you, I feel broke._

_Like I'm half of a whole._

_Without you, I've got no hand to hold._

_Without you, I feel torn._

_Like a sail in a storm._

_Without you, I'm just a sad song._

_You're the perfect melody,_

_The only harmony_

_I wanna hear._

_You're my favorite part of me,_

_With you standing next to me,_

_I've got nothing to fear._

_Without you, I feel broke._

_Like I'm half of a whole._

_Without you, I've got no hand to hold._

_Without you, I feel torn._

_Like a sail in a storm._

_Without you, I'm just a sad song._

_Without you, I feel broke._

_Like I'm half of a whole._

_Without you, I've got no hand to hold._

_Without you, I feel torn._

_Like a sail in a storm._

_Without you, I'm just a sad song._

_I'm just a sad song._

I stopped dancing with her, hanging my hands loosely on her hips and leaned forward to place my forehead against hers. Luckily she didn't flinch away from me. "I didn't know you could sing!" she said.

"My sisters used to love watching Disney films and they made me sing along to the words. They would hit me if I didn't sing properly! Even though their punches were meant to be in a jokey kind of way, they hit hard for a girl!" I smiled. She made a funny face. "What's wrong?" I asked. What the hell did I just say to ruin this moment already!?

"Nothing... nothing!" she replied.

"Please go out with me again. I can't deal with myself being on my own anymore!" I whined like a little kid.

"But first you have to promise me one thing!" she stood back and peered into my eyes.

"What? I'll do anything!" I begged.

"Promise me you'll never let me go and tell me you don't love again like you did before! Even if it might save me from danger! Promise me!" she croaked.

"Promise, as long as I can be with you again!" I released a breath I didn't realise I was holding as I snuggled my face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. The scent I missed for so long. "You have to promise me one thing as well, ok?"

"What is it?" she asked.

"Don't you dare give yourself up in order to save others like that! There is always another way!" My arms vibrated in anger at her giving herself up to my family.

"God, you sound like my mum!" she complained.

"Zhalia, promise me!" I growled.

"Only if you promise to do the same thing."

"Pinky promise!"

"Pinky promise!" she giggled softly.

"Now I just have to do one more thing!" I smirked.

"And what is that?"

"This..." I leant down and teasingly brushed our lips against each other. I wanted to keep it there but I wanted her to open up to me first. Let's see how eager she is to kiss me! Before I could properly pull away, she huffed in annoyance and pulled my head back against hers. I smirked on her lips and her eager actions.

"Don't say a damn word!" she murmured a demand on my lips which I didn't dare go against. I deepened the kiss, as I tried to make up for God knows how long I haven't kissed her and touched her like this. Her fingers played hide and seek in my hair as I gripped her waist, not daring to let it go. I backed her against a tree and I groaned at the pleasure of her touch.

"I love you!" she murmured before pulling back.

"I love you, too!" I grinned before stepping back and starting another song on my phone. I bowed down at her with one hand on my stomach and the other hand extended out to her. "May I have this dance, Miss Benedict?"

"You may, Mr Donnelly!" she grinned at me as she accepted my stretched out hand. Interlocking our fingers, I twirled her round as we danced to the beat of the music.

* * *

><p>We collapsed on the dry grass in heaps of laughter. The dance wasn't like those cliché dances in films where the characters just happened to know the same dance routine on the spot without actually sorting it out first and coordinating it. Our dance was all over the place: Zhalia went one way but I pulled her back because I wanted to a dance move that meant she had to go the other way. It was nothing like the dance we did at the dance club, which was coordinated and a practiced routine. However, this one was still fun nonetheless. My soulfinder lent against me as she placed her head on my shoulder.<p>

"What's on your mind?" I asked softly after a long, comfortable silence.

"Just wondering about us..."

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you think I can't phase through you? I mean I can make you and me phase through something else but I can't actually go through you!" she shared.

"I actually don't know. I've never thought about it to be honest." I paused. "What do you think?"

She frowned. "Maybe because you're my soulfinder. My wall, my resting place. There is nothing else I can't get or want that can make me happier!"

"I'm glad that there's nothing else that can make you more happy than me! I mean, I am amazing!" I gave her a toothy smile before kissing her head. I let out a gasp as she swatted me in the stomach. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For having a stuck up ego like my brothers!"

"Well you love me!"

"I love myself too!" she said as she stood up.

"How come I'm not loved!" I whined playfully as I stood up as well.

"Whatever!" she smirked. "I'll always love you. Forever!"

"Maybe forever will be are always... and maybe our okay too!" I smiled. She looked surprised that I knew about the quote from the film or the book, The Fault in Our Stars.

Not wanting to ruin the moment, she decided to go along with it. _Forever? _ She smirked as she spoke telepathically.

_Forever_. I confirmed, smiling at her with all the love in the world in my eyes.

My stomach suddenly decided now was the best time to growl with hunger causing Zhalia to break down laughing. "God, you have a stomach like my brothers too!"

"Come on! Let's eat before I die of hunger!" I said sheepishly.

She rolled her eyes "Let's got to a little café and eat! I've got some money. My brothers have probably finished all the breakfast by now." she said as she dragged me out of the woods.

* * *

><p><span>Zhalia's POV<span>

We went home an hour later, after having some proper breakfast. We walked in through the front door, hand in hand. Mum noticed our hands intertwined and grinned broadly at us. "Now all my children have their soulfinders: we have to take some pictures!" she said enthusiastically. I groaned. My mum loved taking photos of everything, even if it's some tiny, tiny event. And when she says 'some', she actually means like ten thousand.

"Why don't you take pictures just of Trace and Diamond only?" I mumbled.

"Why? I want everyone!" she whined.

"Because the news that they should be sharing will make you go over the moon!" I replied as I went towards the living room where the two subjects of the conversation just happened to be. Some of my other brothers and the girls where there as well.

Mum rushed past me into the room. "Trace, Diamond!" she called. She skidded to a stop right in front of them. For an old woman she sure moved fast! "Zhalia said you have something to tell me!"

Trace glared at me as if he was about to kill me on the spot. I smiled and waved cheerfully at him from the door of the room. By now everyone, including Scott, was in the room and looking at the couple.

"Well... I um..." Trace stuttered. "Please don't hit me with a rolled newspaper!"

"Why in God's name would I do that?!" Mum said curiously. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Trace Alexander Benedict, what have you done?!"

"What he's trying to say is that," Diamond cut in and looked at Trace, "is that I'm... pregnant."

Mum stood there frozen, eyes wide, with the rest of the people on the room (other that me, Crystal and Xav) were also gobsmacked.

Mum suddenly shrieked like an obsessed teenage fan "I'm going to be a grandmother!" She hugged Diamond and then turned to face Trace who looked scared shitless as he wondered what Mum would do to him. Mum grabbed the nearest newspaper on the coffee table and started whacking it on his head, mock angrily. "Why didn't you tell me!? How come Zhalia knew before me?" she whined. Trace tried to block the newspaper from hitting his head but failed miserably.

Xav being the stupid idiot that he is, but in. "Me and Crystal knew too!"

Trace paled. Man I was loving his pain; I love it when all my brothers are in pain like this!

"Trace, you are grounded!" mum said.

"What?! But Mum, I'm a grown man who is about to become a parent myself! You can't ground me!" Trace complained.

"I'm still your mum! I can and I will." Mum huffed. We all started laughing at Trace as he sulked.

Everyone congratulated them. "Saul, our first baby is having his first baby!" Mum started blowing her nose.

"Congratulations son!" Dad patted Trace on the shoulder.

_Yeah, for finding out that his dick still actually worked after Zhalia kicked it a year ago!_ Zed sniggered the comment telepathically to everyone but our parents. All the boys laughed whilst Diamond looked embarrassed and Trace looked pissed at him. Sky elbowed him in the guts causing him to wince and pout at her as he rubbed the injury.

"What's going on?" Mum looked confused at us.

"Nothing!" Trace gritted though his teeth, giving the rest of us a police warning kind of look.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was filled with laughter, pranks and food. Everyone was tired and retired off to their sleep places. The girls who slept in my room quickly went to go see my brothers. A knock came from my room door. "Come in!" I called.<p>

The door swung open and Jace strolled in. He shut the door behind him as he looked around my room. He wore some loose black trousers** (AN: pants, whatever you want to call it!) **which hung low enough so I could see his boxers. He wore a fitted black short sleeved top as well. "It would be an alright looking room if it didn't have all the posters of One Direction and some other shit!" he smirked.

"Hell no you did not just say that! You can get out!" I said mock angrily as I pointed to the door. He laughed at me as he casually walked over to my bed and climbed in as if he owned it.

"Comfy bed makes up for it though. Why don't you join me?" he winked at me, patting on the bed next to him. I rolled my eyes at him at sat down on my spinney chair on the opposite side of the room to him, making him pout. We started talking about random things.

I asked him a question but he didn't answer. "Jace?" I looked up to see him sleeping. I walked over to him and prodded him in the arm to see if he was actually sleeping. He didn't budge or anything. I sighed, Mum would kill me if she found out I slept with him.

* * *

><p>"What are you girls doing downstairs?" Mum said as she found me, Ida, Cora, Esme, Crystal and Sky in the living room preparing our beds on the floor or the sofa.<p>

"Jace fell asleep in my room and we all know you wouldn't let us sleep with the boys." I informed her.

She looked at each and every one of us individually before sighing. "You can go sleep upstairs with the boys!" We all looked at her as if she just spoke another language. The girls snapped out of their shock and wasted no time in darting up the stairs. "I don't want any funny business!" she yelled after them from the bottom of the stairs. "I know my boys too well!" she sighed.

"Mum?" I said.

"Yes, mi niña?" she replied.

"Do you think you could invite the Wood's family over tomorrow?"

"Why?" she questioned.

"I just feel like they need to see something."

"Ok, I'll ask." she kissed my forehead which meant I had to lean down for her to reach. "Now go get to bed. Jace will need you in his arms for reassurance that you're finally his again!" I smiled gratefully before bolting up the stairs to my room.

I climbed into my bed next to Jace and tugged the duvet over to cover me as well. "Hey, stop taking all of the duvet!" Jace's muffled voice came from a very still body.

"You're awake? I thought you were a sleep." I gasped. Then it dawned on me. "You knew that my mum would let me sleep with you so you faked it!"

"You and Zed are so gullible: he fell for me not speaking to him telepathically and you fell for my fake sleeping. It's called acting, love!" he grinned as he opened his eyes and started at me.

"Dickhead!"

"Well I'm your dickhead!" he said as he pulled the duvet to cover all of him.

"Hey, this is mine! Get your own!" I pulled back and rolled to the opposite side of the bed from him meaning that he now had no duvet.

"Sharing is caring, Zhalia!" he growled. He grabbed me and pulled me against him so I was facing his chest. He then covered us with the duvet and wrapped his arms around me tightly. "There we go. Now don't move!"

"I can't, you're holding me against your chest tightly enough so I can barely breath!" I said, voice muffled.

"You like the view though, right?" I could feel him grin of my head as he loosened his grip enough so I could breath.

"Shut up!"

He laughed. "I love you, Zhalia."

"I love you too!" I fell asleep smirking...

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><p><strong>Author's note: the song was called 'Sad Song' by We The Kings ft, Elena Coats. The song was suggested by PhoenixBritt. Go check her out!<strong>

**Just please review, I worked hard on this chapter! (I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written!) See you guys in the next update!**


	25. IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE, I NEED HELP

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**I'm thinking of doing a sequel or some prequels after I finish this story. However to do this, I'm going to have to add some information and details to some previous chapters to make the new stories work. The sequels or the prequels depend on you though! **

**The sequel will be about one of Jace's and Zhalia's kids. **

**or**

**The 3 prequels (in other words it will be set before Murdering Soulfinder) will be about Uriel, Victor and Will finding Sophie, Cora and Esme but it will have Zhalia. **

**I need you to choose and review if you want me to do either the prequels OR the sequel after finishing Murdering Soulfinder. This will help me edit some chapters. When I update the next real chapter, it will mention the chapters that have been altered with the new info. **

**The next chapter and the re-uploads might take a long time for me to update as I have exams like in a month so please bare with me. I will finish this story if it's the last thing I ever do. So get the suggestions in the reviews pronto so I can think about what to do.**

**ALSO please review for the last chapter as I worked forever on that chapter and it only got a few reviews. That chapter won't change much so please review.**

**Thanks for all the support, **

**xxx-benedictbrothersfan-xxx**


	26. Chapter 24

**Author's Note:**  
><strong>Ummm... Hi... Long time huh? I'm so sorry for not updating an actual chapter in months! I had my GCSE's and I had to change some of the previous chapters to fit my future stories. There is more of a difference in the older chapters compared to the newer ones. I have changed some names and swapped some powers to better suit the stories following this one. If one of the old names are still in the previous chapters, please tell me so I can change it. Don't forget to review on those chapters and say if it's any better.<strong>

**Most of the many reviews on the last Author's note update (thank you for all who reviewed) said they would prefer the three prequels to this story based on how Uriel, Victor and Will find their soulfinders. I have decided on doing this first. However despite having already thinking about the basic plotlines for each of the three stories, it will still take me a while to update. I am writing an Ironman story as well so it will take me awhile to update everything. (Check out the Ironman story if you're interested.)**  
><strong>I think that's all I needed to say so here's the next chapter...<strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 24<span>

Zhalia's POV

Slowly, I woke up from the best sleep I have had since I remember. I turned to see a slight dip in the bed next to me. Touching it I felt it was still slightly warm. Jace must have left only a few minutes ago. Then I heard a shower starting to run in my en-suit: Jace. My brothers wouldn't dare using my bathroom; not if they wanted to be ten feet under the house which I can happily accommodate them with. Argh, he better not leave it in a state boys normally do. Otherwise he's cleaning the entire thing himself . Sighing, I got out of bed and starting to collect some toiletries. Luckily I had a spare toothbrush in my room so I went to the shared bathroom. I hate showering in the family bathroom- I guess I'm so used to using my en-suit shower that I don't like using the others. I have to shower later then.

After finishing, I went to my room. Too busy sorting out some of the paper on my desk, I didn't hear the en-suit door open. "Morning!" came a voice from behind. Jumping, I spun around to find Jace with only his trousers on and towel-drying his hair. Luckily I didn't phase through the ground this time.

Trying not to stare at his chest, I put a hand on my chest near my heart and smiled "Don't scare me like that."

"I thought you heard me." he peaked out from underneath the towel. I couldn't help but glance up at his body, my eyes stopping at his bare torso. Damn was he fit... and all mine too.

"I...um... No, I didn't!" I shook my head, gulping.

He must have noticed my uneasiness as he smirked and tossed his towel somewhere I didn't care to look. "I left my shirt on your bed." his eyes searching my face as I managed to take my eyes off him and onto the ground. "I forgot it." Like fuck he did. He started to make his way to me. "Does me being shirtless bother you?" he questioned, smirking, as he stopped right in front of me. With my head still down I could see the hem of his jeans which seriously hung way to low.

I can't cause his ego to grow more. "No, it doesn't." I said, quickly meeting his gaze so my eyes didn't linger on his body. "Why would it?" I smiled slyly.

"I don't know...," he said slowly as he grabbed my hands and put it on his stomach. "Maybe it's because of my amazing physique..." Damn is he right... But I can't feed his cockiness.

"In your dreams, lover boy!" I snorted.

"Well then, why is your hands still on my stomach and your thumb rubbing it?" his lips widened so that if he stretched it a millimetre more, he would rip his face. This time, I couldn't stop myself from blushing as I quickly withdrew my hands.

"Don't get ahead of yourself!" I laughed.

"I know you love it!" he whispered in my ear. "How about I receive a kiss from the princess?"

I placed one hand on his chest, stopping him from leaning any closer, and raised my other hand to the side. Focusing on his shirt on the bed, I telekinetically lifted it and placed it in my raised hand. I shoved the black short sleeved shirt to his chest. "First, put the shirt on!" I smirked childishly.

"Haha, fine!" he laughed as he slid into the top. "You are definitely hot and bothered by me being only half naked!"

"Shut up!" I blushed furiously. "Do you want a kiss or not?"

"I'm wearing the shirt!" he pointed to the shirt.

"Good boy," I laughed. We circled our arms around each other before I pecked him on the lips.

"That's it?" he pouted. I huffed, amused, before leaning in and giving him a deep kiss.

"Happy?" I gave him puppy eyes. Without answering, he gave one more kiss before nodding.

"How about we go out today? Just me and you?" he suggested.

"Sorry," I said, giving him a disappointed look. "I got my mum to invite some people that I want you to meet."

"Who are they?"

"A family friend." I paused. "Jace, I umm... I have this hunch that you might know some of the family." He gave me a look that said he wanted me to elaborate. "And if my hunch is right, I just want you to know that please don't be mad at me. I just want things to be normal- happy!"

"Zhalia," he said sternly as he narrowed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Who did you invite?"

"Secret..." I shrugged, sheepishly.

He let out a sharp breath. "Ok, fine! Let's go down to have some breakfast before who ever they are come."

* * *

><p>I could tell Jace was slightly agitated, curious and annoyed about the guest. I cleared the living room of my family and Scott so when the guest come, and if my theory happens to be right, then there is some personal space for the family. Suddenly the doorbell rang and Jace became tense before slowly standing up to see who it was. "Jace, stay in the living room." I commanded as I went to go open the door. "Hi!" I greeted the Woods family. A mother, two identical twin girls, the girl's younger half-brother, and step-dad (the younger boy's dad).<p>

"My, you Benedict's are giants!" the mother said as she gave me a warm hug.

"Listen," I told her as I let them in the hallway. "There is someone I would like you to meet, who is very important to me and that you might know. I'm asking you that if you do know him, then can you please keep an open mind about things?" They nodded before entering the living room. The second the mother met Jace's eyes, you could feel the air becoming thick with tension.

"Mum?" Jace whispered, staring at Jane, the mother. Amara and Kaira, the twins, gasped with wide eyes as they noticed their older brother. Jace broke the state with his mother and looked at me with fear in his eyes.

_Zhalia, what... How... Why? She hates me, why did you do this?_ His voice popped in my head, wavering as his voice was breaking.

_You need to face them Jace. You can't live with sadness, they're family!_ I sent him telepathically but in a soft voice.

"Jace..." Jane murmured with disbelief. "Is that really you?" Tears started to form in her eyes as Jace was also on the verge of breaking down himself. "My baby..." Jane let our a final cry before running over and cupped his face. She rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs, sobbing, before pulling him into a hug. Jace visibly froze with his arms just dangling there, confused as to why she wasn't angry at him. Slowly, braking out of his shock, he raised his arms and wrapped it around his mother, and finally broke down crying. "You called me 'Mum'. You haven't called me that in years!" I could practically feel her smiling from her tone.

I could feel a lump forming in my throat at the mother and son reunion. "Aherm, Jane?" Danté interrupted the reunion.

"Oh sorry." Jane smiled sheepishly as she pulled away from Jace but had her hands on his shoulders. "Danté, this is Jace: my eldest son I told you about. Jace, this is Danté, my husband and my soulfinder . This is our son, you're half-brother, Ethan." She signalled to the 2 year old boy. Jace nodded a 'hello' towards Danté and gave a small wave to Ethan who hid behind his father as he sucked his thumb. His gaze fell on his two 13 year old twin sisters. He went over to them, not sure about himself, before stopping abruptly as he got to them "Hi..." he smiled weakly.

Frowning at him, Kaira spoke, crossing her arms as she did so. "What? You're not going to hug us?"

Jace gave a relieved laugh, at ease with his sisters again "You haven't changed at all, Kaira!"

"You can tell us apart? But you always used to get us mixed up!" Amara questioned.

"I always could tell you two apart: I just pretended I didn't to annoy you both." Jace replied as he ruffled their hair. Suddenly, the twins simultaneously launched themselves at Jace causing him to stagger back, balancing himself before returning the hug.

"We missed you!" the girls murmured into Jace.

* * *

><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

"Girls, let go of Jace now. I need to speak to him." Mum said sternly. I gulped as they let me go: this was the bit I was dreading. The explanation. "Jace, where's your father? What are you doing here at the Benedict's house?"

"HE'S NOT MY FATHER!" I seethed. Zhalia placed her hand on my arms, calming me down before I do any damage. "He has no right to be called that!" I said after I had calmed a bit down.

Mum narrowed her eyes at Zhalia, giving her a look that I couldn't decipher. "You're his soulfinder aren't you?" she blurted to Zhalia, who gave a nod. "I noticed how similar your birthdays were before, but I couldn't do anything." she turned to me. "You young man, have to tell me everything after I left with the girls three years ago. You better not leave anything out!" They all sat down, getting comfy. Ethan cuddled up on his dad's lap, sucking his thumb and looking at me- waiting for story time.

Groaning, I sat down with Zhalia next to me before I began giving the tale of the last three years. It was painful, having to tell the story and remind myself of the horrible moments. I didn't dare look up to face my family as I spoke as I feared the disappointing and horror look on their faces. Every time I stopped, Zhalia would give my hand a reassuring squeeze before taking over. When we finished, I finally glanced up at them. Mum stared at me with a sad look.

"You've gone through so much!" she whispered as she came over to me and hugged me. I could feel Zhalia move away as she tried to leave the room, giving us some space. "Zhalia, wait!" Mum demanded. "Come here." She extended her arm out to her which Zhalia accepted, hugging her. "Thank you for everything!" she murmured in Zhalia's ear. "Especially bringing my son back to me!" Zhalia's eyes met mine and I gave her a greatful nod, my mother was right. "Now where is Scott? I need to see him." My mother asked Zhalia. I smiled- I finally have my life back...

* * *

><p><em>2 months later<em>

Zhalia's POV

Resting my head on Jace's shoulder as we sat on one of the tree branches in our favourite spot in the woods, I started to play with his hands- intertwining our fingers or just drawing patterns on them.

"You ok?" Jace asked softly.

I nodded, snuggling up closer into him without losing our balance on the branch. The last two months have been hectic. Scott and Jace with some legal help from Victor and Trace managed to sell their house that they had with John and split the money between the two. The Woods family finally moved in Wrickenridge. Jace moved in with them in the spare room after making it more his style. After all these years, he was finally having a proper bedroom which he could make his 'mark' to. With some legal help again, he changed his name too. To match his step-father, Danté's, last name: Woods. They were finally a family again. Jane welcomed Scott with open arms as part of her family which he gladly accepted. Jane offered him to stay with them but he decided against it, wanting to settle down on his own two feet. He didn't want to rely too much on other people but knew when to accept the help when needed. He bought a little apartment near Jace's house with the old house money. He hadn't quite settled in yet, but I guess that's what you expect when you just moved in somewhere new. Him and Jace became really close these last two months- like brothers. Probably after everything they've been through made them closer. After he's finally settled, and maybe with a job, Crystal offered to find his soulfinder in which he was grateful.

School was nearly over: just a week and a half left. Prom is next week and luckily I bought my dress (with Sky and the help of Crystal's expertise) before this recent event. Jace asked me to prom once all the gossip had started in school. I don't need to have future telling powers to know that my mother would take lots of pictures on the day- it's not even our wedding day! Diamond was starting to slightly show now, being four months; Mum couldn't hold the excitement and has showered them in baby gifts already despite not knowing the gender yet. My brother and his wife decided not to find out the gender yet as they wanted it to be a surprise. All my brothers were gambling on a boy, wanting boys to dominate and rule the family. I wanted a girl, I can't be cursed with boys all my life! Uriel proposed to Ida, who was finally ready and thinking about her actual wedding to someone she really loves. Uriel understood before why she didn't want to get married as there were complications when they met.

_I love you Jace..._ I spoke in his mind, making us feel more closer together.  
><em>I love you too.<em>  
><em>Forever?<em> I raised an eyebrow questionably.  
><em>Forever!<em> He confirmed, nodding his head slightly.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Thank you for sticking with me for so long! I'm so sorry for such a long wait. I felt this chapter was rushed, what do you think?<strong>

** There will be about one last chapter left after this one.**

**If I can get past 215 reviews, I'll be more willing to quickly put up the next chapter!**


	27. Epilogue

**Author's Note: Here is the Epilogue after all this time! It's my birthday today (I'm 17) so please give me loads of reviews on this last chapter as a present, please! Hope you like it.**

* * *

><p><span>Epilogue<span>

Zhalia's POV

_6 years later (Jace, Zhalia, Zed and Sky are 23)_

A lot has changed in the last couple of years. All my brothers had moved out, so it was only me living with my parents now. I know, 23 and still with parents. I loved this house though: it had too many memories that I will always remember. Plus my mum's cooking is the best. Jace's family had a lot of getting used to. Crystal helped to locate Scott's soulfinder in France. It took Scott a good couple of months for her, Adelese, to accept him and his past. Scott was a good guy and Adelese finally saw that and now they are happy. Scott moved to live with her there, as she didn't want to leave her family. We still see him though (we talk a lot on Skype) but also every year he comes to visit Jace and his family with Adelese. After everything, Scott didn't want to leave Jace and his family but Jace encouraged him and the soulfinder pull was too much that he moved to live near her instead of just Skyping her. Jace had lots of catching up to do with his family the first few months. Ethan, his half brother now 8 years old, was first weary of Jace as any two year old would be when a new person interacts and starts living with them. But soon Ethan became comfortable with him and soon they became close, like brothers should be. Jace acted like a protective big brother to the now 19 year old twins, Kaira and Amara. He wouldn't let them get out of line or something to harm a hair on their heads.

All my brothers where now married, Zed being the last one to get married four months ago. Trace and Diamond had a baby boy, much to my disappointment and my brothers happiness. They named him Levi Axel Benedict. Three years after Levi was born, he had two baby identical twin brothers, Cade Samuel Benedict and Caleb Lucas Benedict. Luckily I wasn't cursed with only boys in the family... Uriel and Ida had twins as well, a boy and a girl, now aged four. Ivy Grace Benedict and Kai Thomas Benedict. Making me happy that not only that they had a daughter who was my first niece, but she's also the older twin. Zed was so annoyed that Kai wasn't first as he wanted the boys to rule, and for Kai to follow in his footsteps and be the older male twin.

Victor and Cora had Jaxon Benedict, now three. They have a one year old daughter as well called Amelia Benedict. Cora didn't want middle names for her children as she thought it was too much and Vick didn't care. Will and Esme had baby Lucy Maria Benedict before they got married two years ago. Mum quickly got over the fact that they had a baby before marriage. She cared about being a grandmother more. Xavier and Crystal had a baby boy a month before Zed's wedding, Ashton Reece Benedict. Yves and Phoenix also have a one year old child like Vick, Jazmine Avery Benedict. Jaz and Amelia are joined at the hip despite being only being one. Zed and Sky found out they were expecting a month after their wedding. So in the last six years, the family grew: ten nieces and nephews. I know my brothers wanted lots of children so I'm expecting that number to go up.

I was the only one out of my siblings that wasn't married or had/expecting children. I'm not too worried about getting married yet. I wanted all my brothers to get married first so I could have the longest spotlight of being a married couple. Not that that was the only reason why I wanted to wait. I just didn't want to rush. Everything will fall into place, I hope...

* * *

><p><em>Hey, Zhalia? <em>Jace's voice popped into my head.

_Yes? _

_Are you free? I want to show you something. _He asked.

_Yep, give me ten minutes to get ready. _

_Okay, I'll pick you up in 15. _He seemed off a bit as he closed the telepathic link. Shrugging, I trudged up to my room to get put of my pyjamas.

Like he said, he arrived exactly 15 minutes later. Honking to make his arrival known, I grabbed my keys and left.

"Hey," I said as I got in the passenger's seat. Our relationship had gotten stronger after getting back together. Sure we had heated arguments but don't all couples? I pecked him on the lips before I asked "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere." He said bluntly. I saw him clenching the gear stick and the wheel; something was wrong.

"Jace, what's wrong? Why are you clenching the wheel and gear stick?" I wasn't going to be the girl who ignored and pretend it's nothing so easily.

"I'm just nervous, okay? I'm not telling where we're going, it's a secret. I just hope you like it." He breathed out. I saw him loosen his fingers, stretching them before clenching the gear stick again. He seemed really nervous. I sighed, shutting up as I know he might accidently zap the car dead like last time I pushed him too far over something like this. He eventually slowed the car down and parked on the edge of the road. I looked around to just see houses on either side of the road. I knew the area somewhat, I just didn't come to this area as I had no need to be. I frowned, turning to Jace to see him getting out the car which I quickly followed. Why are we here? There's nothing here but houses.

"Close you're eyes," demanded Jace. "No peeking!"

"Jace..." What is going on, pushing my eyebrows together again as I stared at him.

"Trust me. Please?" he gave a pleading look. "I'll guide you. And remember," he said before bringing his lips to my ear and whispered, "I'll always catch you..." That line brought back memories from when we were at the woods. I nodded before I closed, my eyes. He grabbed my hands and guided me down the road. I could feel us turning into a new road before walking for another minute. Suddenly he pulled me to halt, making me crash into him. Like he promised, he caught me before I could hit the ground. Making me steady, he slowly turned me around so I had my back to him.

_Open your eyes. _His voice was quiet in my head, making me question if I heard it. _Go ahead, open them._ He said again softly but loader. Opening them, I saw a house standing before me. I noticed a 'sold' sign next to it. Suddenly it dawned on me, causing my eyes to widen more.

Spinning around, I looked at him. "Did you...?" I was too shocked to form the rest of the sentence. "Is this what I think it is?"

Holding up a key, he said "Have a look around." Squealing, I jumped on him, causing him to stagger back as I kissed him and wrapped my arms around his neck. Releasing myself from him, I grabbed the key and ran to the front door and opened it. It was bare, empty of furniture and belongings but I could already feel it coming to life. I imagined little feet running around the house, dodging any obstacles in the way. I wanted kids, I just didn't know how Jace felt about them. The house was spacious with a big kitchen that connected to the dining room. The front room had a modern fireplace in the middle of the room. there was light flooding in everywhere. There was a nice, light and open feel about the house. There were five bedrooms not including the converted attic bedroom with an en-suite. I was looking around the attic bedroom gobsmacked.

"Like it?" a voice came behind me. I saw Jace leaning against the door frame.

"It's amazing!" I whispered.

"Good, it's all ours!" he grinned as he came over to me and enveloped me in his arms. He dipped his head down and our lips connected. Soon his lips trailed across scar and down my neck. Every time he went past the scar, he would always tense up as he would always blame himself for it despite all my protest. Now he learned to stay quiet about it but I know it still bothers him. Sometimes people would stare which pisses Jace off more and gets him worked up. I try to cover it up the best I can with make up without making myself look like an orange but you could still see it. The story I told everyone that asked was I fell when I was having a jog in the park and I scraped my face on some twigs on a bush next to me. I couldn't tell them the truth and most of them seem to buy it.

Jace's face snuggled in the crook on my neck. I pulled back. "What? How did you get it? When?" I was still in the shock phase.

"With money." He said with a massive grin on his face. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Okay, I saved up to by ourselves a place of our own. I asked your parents first if they think you'll like it, just to be sure."

"You should have let me help pay for the house!"

"No way! Wouldn't be a surprise then."

"I'm buying furniture then!"

"But-"

"No buts!" I interrupted. I really wanted to decorate a house of my own in my own style.

"I want to create a first memory in this house now!" Jace muttered on my lips.

"And what will that memory be?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Zhalia, you are my life. You bring me up when I'm down. You whined me up all the time but I still love you because you keep me on my toes and give some excitement in my life." Taking a deep breath, he got something from his pocket and bent down on one knee. Was he...? "Zhalia, will you marry me?" he said as he opened a small box to reveal a silver ring. Oh my god!

It took me a few seconds to snap out of my trance to find him having a scared look in his eyes. "Yes, bloody hell yes!" He sighed with relief as he stood up and placed the ring on my finger. I admired the ring as it caught the light. "Thank you, it's beautiful!"

"I want to be with you in every way possible."

"Forever?"

"Forever!"

* * *

><p><span>Jace's POV<span>

_2 years later_

"God damn it, Jace! Argh!" Zhalia screamed as she pushed.

"It's okay, just push okay?" I said in my shaky voice as held one of her hands whilst the other stroked her hair.

"I swear to God if you tell me to push one more time, I'll kick you out of bed and you can sleep on the couch! What so you think I've been doing for the- ARGH- last hour?" She panted in pain.

"Nearly there!" the midwife said. Zhalia gave one more push, giving my hand a good squeeze, most likely making the blood stop flowing but I'm wasn't going to complain. Soon the room was filled with a cry. Zhalia flopped back on the bed, exhausted from childbirth.

"You were amazing!" I kissed her forehead after I cut the umbilical cord and washed my hands.

"It's a boy!" the midwife announced cheerfully, handing him to me after weighing him and cleaning him. He was tiny in my arms. He had a button little nose and tiny wrinkly baby hands. He was sleeping peacefully as he seemed to snuggle up in my arms, causing me to smile down at him.

"Let me see my baby!" Zhalia demanded as she held her hands out.

"Huh, fine!" I huffed as I passed him to her. "You held him for nine months though!"

"Deal with it!" she glared. "What shall we name him?" We waited to find the gender of the baby until it was born but we couldn't decide on boy names or girl names. "My baby angel," she whispered to him as she rocked him back and fro. "You know your daddy has been giving me a hard time ever since he found out about you!"

I couldn't help but smile at that. Zhalia had a really bad pregnancy with this one, vomiting everything she ate, weak because she didn't eat, and more. It didn't help when the baby kicked all day and night. Thinking about what she just said, an idea came into my head. "How about Gabriel because the famous Angel?" We weren't extremely religious but we did believe a bit.

Zhalia frowned as she stared at the baby before she finally spoke "Gabriel Chase Woods."

I grinned at her before touching me nose to hers and cupping her face, "Perfect, just like my beautiful wife." I placed my lips on to hers as I felt the love pour out just like all those years ago with our first kiss. To be a father felt scary but I love it already. I would love to have this feeling of seeing my new born child again, and I'm sure I will...

_The End_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this is it! I tried so hard to get this chapter finished in time for today (December 18<strong>**th****) as it's my birthday. It would be amazing if you could all show your support by leaving a last review (just to remind readers that you don't need to have an account to review) as this is the last chapter of Murdering Soulfinder. Even if you read this story months or years after it has been completed, please leave a review and it will be very much appreciated. **

**I will be posting an Author's Note soon (I don't know exactly when yet) to give a sad announcement and to finally wrap up everything and to say all the thank you's and everything. **

**If I don't get the Author's Note out in time, for those of you who celebrate, Merry Christmas!**

**From yours truly,**

**xxx-benedictbrothersfan-xxx**


	28. Important and Final Author's Note

**Thank you for all the support through out Murdering Soulfinder. I couldn't have asked for better readers and supporters.**

**Thank you for all the birthday wishes. **

**There was a question in the reviews for the last chapter that I couldn't reply to, so here is the answer:**

**To Guest****: I left Sky and Zed expecting a baby (after the first six years) but after a further two more years, they obviously would have had the baby. I just didn't mention it because I didn't know how to fit it into the bit where Zhalia and Jace are having the baby. I would like to think they had a girl to see what Zed's reaction would be as he probably wanted a boy first. But who knows, what do you think?**

**The last two chapters didn't get many reviews. I don't know if people were disappointed with the ending or people aren't that interested anymore. I know people have read the chapters as I can check the amount of views it gets but only a handful, if that, are reviewing. Please review and favourite, even if it's years after this is finished as it always makes an author happy to know people actually enjoy their hard work. **

**I'm copying this story on Wattpad slowly so I will be grateful if you could support each Murdering Soulfinder chapter on there too. The link won't properly copy and paste here but you can search Murdering Soulfinder or my name (BenedictBrothersFan) on Wattpad to find it. Or PM me and I could send you the link through there if you can not find it.**

**I put up a cast on Wattpad too so check it out. I put pictures up to show what images of the cast best portray the characters. However I changed the way Jace looks and his heritage on the Wattpad version of this story. There is an Author's Note in the middle of the chapters I've updated explaining all of this. Although I changed him on the Wattpad version, I didn't change him on this one so you don't have to keep going back and forth. But if your interested in the new look of Jace, then check the story on Wattpad. There are some slight other minor changes in wording and a few sentences added/ taken away but nothing that you wouldn't majorly notice. It's basically the same as this version. Please show some support on there, thank you.**

**There has also been a Finding Sky fanfiction competition made here on the forum by BookMove. There are different categories where you nominate your favourite FS fanfiction and there will be a final vote after. All the details are on the forum. The link to the forum won't copy and paste here so either PM me or BookMove**** for the link.**

**Please can I ask for your support again and nominate Murdering Soulfinder for any of the categories. I know it won't come under every category and I know you will have more than this story to nominate (I mean, there are some seriously good stories on here). I have nominated a few stories as well. **

**Now, for the sad announcement. I am a very bad person: I have probably got your hopes up thinking that there will be prequels based on Uriel, Victor, and Will.**

**Despite thinking of the basic, **_**basic**_**, plot of each of three stories, I can't write them. **

**Hear me out, please! **

**I literally have no time to write and I know how annoying it is for authors to take 10 years to update. I mean, I took forever updating the end of Murdering Soulfinder. I hate not finishing a story and I don't want to disappoint all you people (I probably have by saying this). If I did write the stories, they would be rushed and will not flow nicely and make sense with the other stories. For this, I am very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very,** **very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very sorry! **

**I hope you will eventually forgive me. **

**Thank you again for all the support of my first ever finished and shared story, Murdering Soulfinder.**

**Love you all**

**xxx-benedictbrothersfan-xxx**


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